


By the Sea

by Siberian



Series: A Very Sterek Summer 2020 [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: A Very Sterek Summer Fest 2020, Angst, Consensual Spanking (mentioned), Dirty Talk, F/M, Knotting, M/M, Not Really a Song Fic but a Song is Featured, Spoilers, Uncomfortable Conversations with Peter, When in Doubt-Contact Author for Full List of Warnings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:33:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 23,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27837631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siberian/pseuds/Siberian
Summary: A day at the beach seemed like such a simple thing. The old adage was true, never judge a book by it's cover.
Relationships: Chris Argent/Melissa McCall, Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Ethan/Jackson Whittemore, Jordan Parrish/Theo Raeken, Mason Hewitt/Corey Bryant, Peter Hale/Original Female Character(s), Scott McCall/Kira Yukimura
Series: A Very Sterek Summer 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2037619
Comments: 6
Kudos: 46





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for “A Very Sterek Summer - Day 1: Beach” on Tumblr
> 
> This contains spoilers for the entire series. I recapped some things and go into introspection. There is a lot of catching up with the pack. The main pairing is Derek/Stiles, the rest of them are mentions. This story includes a song, all of the lyrics are in Italics. By way of warnings, there aren't many. This is a fairly light-hearted little tale. What can be found is Knotting, Mild Dirty Talk, Mentions of Spanking (very brief) and uncomfortable conversations with Peter. I think that's everything. As an aside, this is my first Sterek and first Teen Wolf story that I've completed. Due to a challenge deadline, it wasn't the first posted but it's the first one I've completed. I ask you to keep that in mind if you decide to review. I'm always a little nervous when getting into a new fandom.
> 
> Special Side Note: I've recently gotten a Tumblr account. As soon as I did, I found myself enticed into several challenges. It's for this reason that I've decided to start posting new stories concurrently with older fics that needed to be posted. This is a new story. It's only a few months old. I haven't been able to post it here or on Tumblr yet. It's been causing problems including being unable to submit, tag and add these new stories to AO3 collections. I hope no one minds the double postings. If I don't do this, I fear I may never get caught up. Enjoy!
> 
> Come join me on [Tumblr](https://siberianthewriter.tumblr.com)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The pack was the only reason he was here. It had been literal years since he’d been to the beach. Considering that Beacon Hills was landlocked that wasn’t very surprising. Although that would bother some people, he’d never felt that way. What his hometown lacked in beaches, it more than made up for in lush forests. This trip had been Stiles’ idea. Now that the majority of the pack was in college, they didn’t see each other unless there was a major crisis. The last time they’d all been back in town had apparently been the last straw. They’d been sprawled around the loft, in various states of injury only for Stiles to launch into a rant. It had lasted a good fifteen minutes before finally he had run out of steam. Another minute later Scott had quietly agreed that some pack bonding time was a good idea.  
  
That was how they found themselves here at the beach. It was a two hour drive from Beacon Hills, so they’d all stay in a local hotel overnight. He’d be dreading it more if they didn’t have a history of camping out at the loft after a rough night. There were only a few members of the pack who couldn't be present. Unsurprisingly, it was the adults of the group. The Sheriff as well as Melissa had to work and Chris Argent had a meeting he couldn't get out of. With the exception of Peter and Jordan, he was the oldest of the group. So really it was up to him as well as Jordan to keep everyone in line. The scope of Peter’s responsibility had expanded. That didn’t mean he was about to recruit him to look out for a bunch of rowdy young pack members.  
  
With that in mind, he did a visual sweep of the gathered group. As was often the case, his gaze found Stiles first. When he saw what his pack mate was doing he rolled his eyes. The younger man was engaged in building a sand castle of all things. He was taking it seriously too if the look on his face was anything to go by. Sitting to the other side of the castle was Liam. On occasion he’d make a suggestion or ask a question. It always got a response from Stiles even when he looked distracted. Standing a little off to the side was Lydia. She had her hands on her hips, a little pout on her lips as she watched Stiles’ work. When she’d add in her two cents it was always about historical accuracy. This would sometimes have Stiles sending her an annoyed glance which she didn’t seem to notice. Call him a cynic, he had a feeling Lydia didn’t miss a thing.  
  
A few more paces away were Mason and Corey sharing a beach towel. They were sitting close together, Mason’s arm slung casually over Corey’s shoulders and their heads tipped toward one another. The slight movement of their lips indicated they were speaking. He didn’t need to eavesdrop to see they were sharing a tender moment. A few paces away from them were Kira and Malia lounging on two reclining beach chairs in bikinis. They were both lying on their backs, buffeted by a towel with their eyes closed as they worked on their tan. He could tell that they were speaking too. For the most part they looked relaxed but on occasion one of them would break out into a delighted smile.  
  
Of the two of them, Malia’s bikini was more revealing. It had actually taken quite a bit of convincing for her to wear it at all. She didn’t understand why she just couldn’t lie outside naked. It had seemed silly to her to deal with tan lines. On top of that, she’d also reasoned that it wasn’t like several of them hadn’t seen her naked before. Although it wouldn’t have bothered certain members of the group, it would probably have caused a legal issue since this wasn’t a nude beach. He smiled a little when Kira laughed at something that Malia said. It was nice to have her back. There was a time there when they thought they’d never see her again.  
  
When she did return it was to find Scott single. The time he’d spent with Malia had been brief. Honestly, that hadn’t surprised him. There was years missing of Malia’s life that dealt with social interaction. Even her start with Stiles hadn’t run smoothly. When they were actually a couple, he’d thought that they had been good for each other. Never mind what else he felt about Stiles suddenly having a girlfriend. Although he wasn’t opposed to Malia being with Scott, it had seemed like the timing was bad. If she was willing to look at another guy, to cheat on someone like Stiles or to contemplate it, she still had a lot to learn about maintaining a relationship.  
  
He’d believed that given time and with the right person that would change. At least there were no hard feelings, something that was further evidenced when Scott ran over to them with a smile. The dark hair on his head was half-dried in wayward curls and there were wet patches glinting off his skin. He’d barely stopped before leaning down to give Kira a quick kiss. The interaction didn’t have Malia batting an eyelash. They all started speaking at that point and Scott had on his most charming smile. If he had to guess the Alpha was trying to lure them into the water. That was currently where Jordan and Theo were looking utterly relaxed. They were close enough to speak, each of them slowly wading in the waves.  
  
The last of their group, Peter, was seated at his right. In true fashion, his Uncle was lying on a reclining beach chair in an utterly relaxed sprawl. There was a beach towel under him that looked as expensive as what you’d find in a top rate hotel. In a neat line were two wide umbrellas that covered the werewolf’s entire body in shade. Despite this unneeded protection, Peter’s body gleamed with oil that doubled as sunscreen. The only thing he wore were slightly snug trunks and a pair of Prada sunglasses. It was obvious he was showing off. Whether that was for the packs’ benefit or the random people nearby, he couldn’t say for sure.  
  
Currently he was reading. That was what he was typically doing if he wasn’t making eyes at nearby women or leaning back with his eyes closed. Well, that was unless he wasn’t harassing one of them. “Really nephew, you should at least put on some sunscreen.” The desire to roll his eyes was strong. “I’m fine.” He was. There was a slightly tender feeling in his shoulders, like his skin was burning but it wasn’t really important. When his Uncle continued, he sounded only mildly interested in what he was saying. “You’re going to get a sunburn.” All he did was lightly grunt in response. The sound had the benefit of Peter leaving him alone and once again lying back with his eyes closed.  
  
Although he didn’t have a visual of Peter’s eyes, his posture said it all. Even so, the interruption was a reminder that he should probably move the lone towel he was sitting on. As much as he wanted to move, he wouldn’t. This location had been chosen for a reason. It gave him a clear visual on everyone. He’d just felt the tension leaking from his shoulders when Stiles flopped down at his side. The abrupt movement had a small cloud of sand going everywhere. Automatically, the younger man reached down to brush the sand off the towel. Once that was done Stiles quickly swept his hand down his own legs and then proceeded to quickly rub both of his hands together. It was only mildly successful.  
  
With a frown he looked in the other man’s direction. There was a happy smile on Stiles’ face as he turned to connect their gazes. “Are you having fun?” At the question, he faced forward again. “Yes.” The pause that followed told him that the other man wasn’t convinced. “What do you think of my sandcastle? It’s a Rectangular Keep.” When he looked toward Stiles again he was met with a serious expression. “It’s nice.” With that he was sent another smile. He faced forward again. All of them were probably fine but it was as good an excuse as any. “I’m going to go swimming. Do you want to join me? Well, uh, I mean me, us, the rest of the guys.” The stumble had him looking toward the other man again.  
  
For the first time, Stiles was facing away and there was a light blush on his face. He narrowed his eyes in confusion. “No, I’m good. Thanks.” What he got for his efforts was a jerky nod. “Yeah, okay. Maybe later.” They looked at one another again. It only lasted a second before Stiles’ gaze dropped downward. “Oh, your shoulders are getting red. You might want to reapply some sunscreen.” Although he didn’t hear anything, he could practically feel Peter snickering over his other shoulder. “I’m fine.” There was a beat of a pause before the younger man frowned. “You didn’t put on any sunscreen.” The silence was answer enough as he stubbornly refused to comment.  
  
When Stiles continued it was on the tail end of a sigh. “No wonder you’re turning as red as a lobster. Hold on, I’ll be right back.” The protest was already forming on his lips when the other man quickly climbed to his feet. Unfortunately he wasn’t fast enough to stop Stiles from going over to their supplies. Within minutes the younger man was back with a medium sized bottle in hand. It was held in his direction. “Here.” When he didn’t take it, Stiles narrowed his eyes. “Really? Are you going to play it like that?” At the challenge, he sent his pack mate a small glare. “I don’t need it. I’ll heal.” When the other man looked considering, he wasn’t really sure what it meant.  
  
“You know, I’ve meet some martyrs in my day Derek but I think you take the cake.” The look he sent Stiles was unimpressed. It surprisingly earned him an easy smile. “Look, why don’t I at least get your shoulders. If you want to skip the rest that would probably be okay. I just can’t sit over there and watch you bake in the sun.” Instead of waiting for him to respond, the younger man opened the bottle to squeeze a generous amount of the white liquid into his palm. When that was done Stiles paused as though waiting for permission. The sigh he let loose was weary. It was also interpreted correctly. With a small smile, the younger man rubbed his hands together before gently rubbing the lotion into his inflamed shoulders.  
  
Although he’d never admit it, the mildly cool liquid did feel soothing. There was a tiny bit of roughness too which he knew was lingering sand on the elegant hands. When the other man did eventually retreat, he spoke up lowly in a mumble. “You can get my back too, if you want.” Over his shoulder he heard an amused snort. It was thankfully too soft to be picked up by human ears. “Oh, yeah, sure.” The slightly stumbled response was followed by Stiles’ hands returning to gently sweep down his back. He very nearly closed his eyes. Only sheer force of will had him able to keep them open. The touch felt better than it had any right to.  
  
As the younger man moved his hands he hummed a soft song. It sounded vaguely familiar, he just wasn’t sure why. All he did know for sure was that Stiles wasn’t aware he was humming. The lilting sound tapered off as gently as it had started. “There you go. All done.” A spike of disappointment traveled through him at the words that he refused to acknowledge. “Stiles!” Both of them turned at the shout. As soon as it was clear Scott had their attention he continued. “Come on, man.” With that the True Alpha ran into the ocean like a big overgrown kid. It was fairly amusing. This was only confirmed when Stiles chuckled. There was a pause then as the other man looked in his direction. “Well, I guess I’ll see you later then.”  
  
He didn’t nitpick the temporary farewell, although he wanted to. It wasn’t like he was going anywhere. Even so, he knew it was Stiles’ way of making a polite exit. “Yeah, I’ll see you later.” With that, the other man climbed to his feet to walk toward the shoreline. The journey was only stalled long enough for Stiles to hand off his shirt to Liam. It was placed with their things by the younger man only for Liam to decide to go for a swim as well. “That was the most pathetic display I’ve seen in a long time.” The minute Peter had opened his mouth he’d felt his hackles raise. It wasn’t an easy thing to keep a secret from a werewolf. Trying to keep something from a born wolf was virtually impossible.  
  
The attraction he felt for Stiles, honestly the deeper feeling, had been obvious to Peter for some time. It was a secret that his Uncle likely kept for his own means. As soon as he could benefit from telling Stiles, he'd be up the metaphorical creek without a paddle. His only saving grace might be that Peter was a liar on a good day. There was a slim chance that Stiles wouldn't believe him. It was probably a foolish hope but it was hope none the less. Despite how annoyed he instantly felt, he didn’t allow it to show in his demeanor. “You would know, Peter.” At the insult the other man laughed lightly. They fell into a blissful silence that he knew wouldn’t last.  
  
“How long are you going to let this go on?” The serious question threw him a little bit. Although his Uncle had never been the warm and caring type he did have moments where his humanity shone through. There was an underlying hint of concern in his voice that was unexpected. Considering Peter’s approach, he responded in all seriousness. “He’s still too young. The time isn’t right.” He knew what that was like, to not be emotionally ready for something. It had cost him nearly everything. “That’s just an excuse. He’s not a teenager anymore.” Although he knew Peter was right there was no way he was going to acknowledge it. They lapsed into a strained silence.  
  
Eventually his Uncle gave up with a frustrated sigh. “You’re going to miss your chance. If Malia had known what she was doing it would have already been too late.” At the reminder of Stiles with his cousin he grimaced. It was done. What they were couldn’t be undone, he just found himself pathetically grateful that they hadn’t mated. The thought was a selfish one but it was one he couldn’t help. If it had happened, he would have been happy for them. There was just a part of him though that would have been bitterly jealous. On thinking on all of this he felt very uncomfortable. Apparently that was clear because Peter thankfully backed off. Not looking a gift horse in the mouth, he focused his attention on keeping the pack within his sights.  
  
When he was assured that everyone was fine, his gaze locked on Stiles. He smiled a little at seeing Stiles spraying Scott with water. The retaliation when it came was swift and managed to also get Theo. Within seconds all four men were flinging water at each other. It ended with Stiles latching onto Scott’s shoulders managing to dunk his friend with a victory yell. When the Alpha emerged he was laughing and his hands were reaching searchingly. It was obvious he was pursing an already retreating Stiles looking for payback. The afternoon slipped away much the same way. It was only as the sun was setting that the pack gathered their things to leave. They had plans to grab something to eat at a local diner before retreating to their hotel to crash. As they left he couldn’t help thinking that it had been a good day.  
  
TBC...


	2. Chapter 2

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It had been roughly six months since they’d last gone to the beach. In that time not much had changed. The majority of the pack was still in school, they were still waging a largely unknown war against Monroe, Peter was still Peter and he’d settled more fully into his role as Beacon Hills pseudo protector. Anytime something major was brewing Scott would return with as much of the pack as possible. If an issue wasn’t as severe Liam handled it often with his added help. The system was a good one for the time being. It was one that worked. When the Alpha did eventually graduate, he had plans to return to Beacon Hills permanently.   
  
He didn’t know what he’d do when that happened. As much as he’d become Scott’s advocate over the years, there was still a disconnect when it came to him thinking of the younger man as his Alpha. The Hales had protected the town of Beacon Hills for centuries. When he thought of it being run by someone else, it had a lance of pain traveling through his chest. He supposed when Laura left with him all those years ago they’d forfeited their rights to it. Even so, it was hard to be home sometimes and to feel like he really didn’t belong anywhere. The loft had only ever been a place to live. As sad as it was, his burnt out shell of a family home had felt more familiar.   
  
He’d known staying there when he’d first returned wasn’t healthy. Knowing that couldn’t stop him from seeking what little comfort he could when he’d needed it so badly. When it had finally been torn down, he'd stared at the empty plot for what felt like hours. The land was still in his name. He hadn’t sold the property. There was a part of him that wanted to rebuild the house. It’s just when he seriously thought about it he didn’t know what would be the point. This was no longer his home. He didn’t have a pack. He didn’t have anyone. What would be the point in building a home only for it to remain empty? Still, he couldn’t bring himself to sell it.   
  
Unwittingly his gaze moved to Stiles. The younger man was sitting next to Scott and the two of them were talking animatedly. There was a wide smile on Stiles’ face that quickly morphed into a laugh. It had his face creasing up in the most adorable way. Despite himself, a small smile pulled at his lips. Of all the things that stayed the same there was one major change. The previous pack bonding had been such a success it had become a continuous activity. Whenever everyone’s schedule allowed, they planned an overnight trip of some kind. Eventually it was decided they’d plan another trip to the beach. That’s how he found himself where he was now sitting on the same towel he’d been sitting on six months prior.   
  
He’d taken up a vigil at the outskirts of the group, as was common, to keep an eye on everyone. Currently the bulk of the pack was in the water. A few yards in he could see Malia, Liam, Mason, Corey, Theo and Parrish swaying along to the ocean’s waves. The group was somewhat close together. They seemed to alternate between speaking and roughhousing in various playful ways. At the edge of the shoreline where the sand became dry were the remaining female members of the pack. On two reclining beach chairs Kira and Lydia lounged in relaxation. There was a third chair to Kira’s right that had been abandoned earlier by Malia.   
  
Unlike the two far right chairs, Lydia’s chair was shaded from the sun by a large umbrella. It was so big in fact that the umbrella had needed to be raised a certain way to avoid his line of sight being cut off. Although the initial set-up had caused some annoyance on Lydia’s part, he’d remained firm that it was a necessity. The insistence in his voice had Peter rolling his eyes thankfully without comment. Like their previous trip, his Uncle had set up his own little oasis somewhat away from the group. That was all well and good except that he always seemed to be near his location. If that was Peter trying to annoy him intentionally or wanting to subconsciously be close to pack he wasn’t sure. He tried to take it in stride.   
  
Over the years, Peter’s power lust and madness had settled into a degree of normalcy. The realization he had a daughter had helped a great deal. As for the rest of it, he wasn’t really sure. All he knew was that he was grateful. He’d take annoying Uncle Peter any day over megalomaniac murderous Peter. When he looked toward his Uncle’s chair it was to find it empty. The discovery had an automatic frown coming to his face. A quick glance around had him locating the missing werewolf within seconds. A little further down to the beach to his left, Peter was chatting up some woman. They seemed of a similar age. The smile on his face was charming and the unknown woman looked downright bashful. It had him rolling his eyes in exasperation.   
  
When his Uncle came back close to ten minutes later, he kept facing forward to convey his disinterest. “Did you see that, nephew? That’s how it’s done.” The snort his let loose was unimpressed. Although he didn’t look, he could easily hear Peter resettling onto his chair. “I only spoke to her twenty minutes and I got a phone number. No creepy stalking required. How long did it take you to get Stiles’ number?” When he responded his voice was bland. “I got it from Scott right away.” A hum met his response that was considering. “How long was it before you called him? I’m guessing you showed up unannounced in his bedroom first.” With that, he did look toward his Uncle. The expression on his face was as bland as his voice. “Of the two of us, I don’t think you want to ask the pack who’s creepier.”   
  
Immediately a frown pulled at Peter’s lips. “We can’t ask them. They’d be biased.” His voice as well as his tone of voice didn’t change in the slightest. “That’s because you’ve tried to kill most of them.” The words were brushed off easily. “Oh come now, nephew. I haven’t tried to do that in at least a year.” He lifted an eyebrow at the short timeframe. At seeing his expression, Peter amended his statement. “I was generalizing. I haven’t seriously tried to murder anyone since getting out of Eichen House.” When his eyebrow only climbed higher, the other man continued in an exacting voice. “I haven’t tried to kill anyone who didn’t deserve it.”   
  
With that, he went back to observing the pack. “I think I’m going to give her a call tonight.” The sigh he released was put upon. In truth, he wasn’t really annoyed. It was more habit than anything. “That seems fast.” There was a slight rustle of paper. He could tell that Peter was settling in to continue reading his book. “It would be, under normal circumstances. I made it a point to tell her I’d be gone tomorrow. I got the distinct impression she’d be amicable to going to dinner.” There was a pause before he continued in a lecherous voice. “Don’t wait up. I don’t plan on seeing this ragtag group of hooligans again until tomorrow morning.” He grimaced at the implication. “Do what you want. Just don’t tell me about it.” That earned him an amused chuckle before Peter returned his attention to his book.   
  
The daytime hours quickly faded away into the onset of early evening. When it started to get noticeable, Parrish came ashore to get a bonfire going. They decided early on to stay at the beach this time around. He wasn’t thrilled with the idea. The encroaching darkness would leave them exposed. At least they had supernatural eyes and ears on their side. It was one of the only reasons he hadn’t voiced an immediate protest. As the night deepened the pack slowly but surely settled around the fire. When everyone was present, Stiles dug into the two massive coolers they’d brought to hand out food. Instead of anyone moving, the food was passed around in a circle until everyone had a sandwich.   
  
A few minutes later a round of drinks followed. He opted for a bottle of water instead of alcohol. They had wolfsbane laced beer but he had no desire to get drunk. Honestly, he didn’t understand the appeal. The thought of being out of control, of bringing down his guard left him feeling unsettled. It was probably a good argument _to_ drink. Even so, he stuck with his water. When everyone had a sandwich, a drink and two pieces of fruit in hand they all dug in with a ravenous hunger. The group settled into silence for about five minutes while everyone just enjoyed their food. As one would expect it didn’t last and a loud rowdy conversation broke out soon after.   
  
He didn’t say much, more focused on his hearty roast beef sandwich. It was delicious. There was a generous helping of roast beef, some raw spinach, at least two slices of Provolone cheese and just the right amount of mayonnaise. The way it had his taste buds singing made him curious as to who packed the food. At some point later he’d have to try to find out. As the evening deepened, the food diminished even as the level of alcohol present rapidly decreased. It got to the point where most of the pack was loaded or at least well on their way. Of the entire group, he was the only one not drinking at all. There were only two other people who seemed to be monitoring their levels.   
  
One was Parrish which wasn’t a surprise. Although he had a feeling Parrish wasn’t one to get drunk anyway, he tended to be a sort of guardian when with the rest of the group. He wasn’t sure if that was because Parrish was older or if it was his vocation coming into play. The second person to keep himself in check was his Uncle. This was also not surprising as Peter had a date. After a few rounds, he begged off and disappeared into the night. As time wore on the loud conversations tapered off into low relaxed murmurs. On occasion someone would speak with him but usually pursued more stimulating conversation elsewhere. It was nearing midnight, if his internal clock was correct, when Stiles ambled over in his direction.   
  
He watched the younger man closely. Although it could be taken for staring, the truth of it was he was worried Stiles would take a nose dive toward the fire. The rigid tension in his shoulders only eased when the younger man flopped down next to him on the sand. A minute later it returned when Stiles leaned back to prop himself against his shoulder. In the slouched position, Stiles’ head was on his shoulder and the majority of his torso was leaning into his side. When he spoke, it was in a sleepy mumble. “Hey Derek.” Although he really didn’t want to, he wondered if he should push Stiles off if only for appearances. In the end, he left the other man where he was. “Hey.”   
  
There was a murmured sound from Stiles as though he couldn’t force his lips to form the words he wanted to say. Eventually he managed to push them out. “Are youuu...having fun?” Seeing as the other man couldn’t see him in this position, he answered shortly. “Yes.” The head resting against his moved in a subtle nod. “Good. That’s good.” Suddenly a beer bottle was waving in his face. “Do you want a beer?” With a quick sweep, he pushed Stiles’ hand back down. “No, I’m fine.” For some reason, that had the younger man pouting. “Sure. I mean, you sure. You can have some of mine. Oh! I can get you one.” At the words, Stiles leaned forward as though to get up. He quickly pulled him back into place. “Stay here.” The command had a slight growl to it and even he wasn’t sure why.   
  
Immediately the other man wiggled back into place, a loopy happy smile on his lips. “Okey...hic...dokey.” He just refrained from sighing. When Stiles continued he almost gave into the urge. “I love the beach.” All he gave in response was a small hum. “I was really happy when everyone thought it was a good idea. I mean the last time. I thought of it last time and it was the first time too. I mean coming to the beach. It was my idea.” The answer he gave was patient, as though he was speaking to a child. “I know.” Almost the minute he’d spoken Stiles continued in a rush. “It was my idea to have a pack bonding trip and I was the one who suggested the beach. I said we should come back this time too.” There was a pause only long enough for the younger man to smile in self-satisfaction. “I have good ideas.”   
  
He rolled his eyes even as his lips twitched into a smile. “Yes, sometimes you do.” A snort escaped Stiles that was strong enough to almost tip him sideways. In an automatic reaction, he righted the other man until he was resting where he was earlier. “I _always_ have good ideas.” When he could tell that Stiles was stable, he let his hand slide away to once again rest at his side. “If you say so.” They fell into silence then that seemed contemplative despite the younger man’s inebriated state. In the minutes that passed, Stiles took two more drinks. He was half tempted to take away the bottle. At realizing it only had a few swallows left, the idea was abandoned. Now if Stiles went to get another one then he’d intervene. It was blatantly obvious that he’d had enough.   
  
“Derek, did you know that the last time we were here I sang to you? I didn’t even realize I was doing it at the time.” In an instant he was cast back into the past. He could remember sitting on this very beach, Stiles’ hands gently sliding over his body and a soft lilting tune filling his ears. Despite the need to keep some distance, his head turned until he could take in the other man’s profile. “I remember.” There was a small uncomfortable frown on Stiles’ face now that he hated. “I was so embarrassed, when I realized what I did. I couldn’t believe I’d done that.” The words had a small familiar pain settling in his chest. “You don’t have to be embarrassed.”   
  
When his companion didn’t seem likely to continue he picked up the slack. “What was the name of the song? I didn’t recognize it.” Considering how Stiles was feeling it was probably a good idea to move them off the subject. Despite knowing this, he couldn’t help wanting to alleviate his burning curiosity. The question had the younger man mumbling a little as he looked down. He was just getting ready to abandon the question when Stiles spoke up lightly. “I don’t remember. Um, it was in this old cartoon I saw as a kid. I remember liking it a lot. I like old things sometimes.” The smile that emerged on his face could only be called enchanted. “I know.” A beat passed before he continued lightly. “Will you sing it again? Maybe I’ll recognize it this time.”   
  
He had no clue what he was doing. Still, the request was out there. It wasn’t like he could take it back. Immediately a deep blush settled into Stiles’ cheeks. “Imumm not a...very good singer.” The voice he responded in was soothing. It also was light, to take off any pressure. “That’s okay. I don’t mind.” As the request was weighed, the younger man studied the bottle in his hands. Finally after long minutes a decision was reached. With a nod of his head and a final swing of his beer, Stiles wedged the bottle into the sand and took a deep breath. “Okay, uh here it goes.” The words were followed up by the other man clearing his throat. “ _By the sea, by the sea, by the...beautiful sea. Umm, you and me. You and me. Oh, how happy we’ll be. I’d...I...I’d love to be beside your side. By the seaside, by the beautiful sea_.”   
  
With that, Stiles tilted his chin upward as though trying to connect their gazes. It was probably a good thing that the other man couldn’t see his expression. Despite everything, Stiles’ soft voice had sounded beautiful. He’d hate to see how it would affect him without the pauses and the sleepy drunken mumbles. The need to refocus when the younger man spoke again took some real effort. “That’s all I remember. There’s more about waves rolling and crashing...something like that before they talk about a couple. I don’t think I should think about the waves though. It’s making me a little sea sick.” Instead of reminding Stiles that they were on steady dry land, he instead asked the question burning away in his mind. “Why would you sing me that song?”   
  
There was a frown on Stiles’ face again and when he spoke it sounded a little disgruntled. “Don’t be mad, okay Derek.” The words of reassurance that he wasn’t mad were unintentionally cut off by the other man speaking. “I couldn’t help it. You know how much I like you.” It was as if a bolt of lightning suddenly shot through his frozen body. This was everything he’d wanted for such a long time. No, this couldn’t be right. He had to have misunderstood. “You...I don’t understand Stiles.” There was a small noise then that could only be called a whine. “Don’t be mean.” Immediately his body lost its rigidity and curled into Stiles’ frame. “I’m not. I wouldn’t do that. What did you mean, Stiles?”  
  
TBC...


	3. Chapter 3

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As he was looking at Stiles’ face, his companion blinked sleepily. It had him resisting the urge to shake him gently. Trying to talk about this now probably wasn’t fair. That didn’t change the fact that waiting until Stiles was sober was likely to put him in an early grave. This was something he’d wanted for such a long time. To hear it might be possible and then have to wait for the axe to fall would be too much. When the other man started to speak again, he focused all of his considerable attention on Stiles’ profile. “I like you Derek, you know that. I’ve liked you for years. I mean, I get it, you know, why we couldn’t be together before. I wasn’t even legal.”   
  
This next part was mumbled as though Stiles was thinking out loud. “My Dad would have shot you, for sure.” Apparently getting back on task, the younger man regained the same volume he had beforehand. “I just, I don’t know. I thought when I graduated that maybe it would be different.” The tone of Stiles’ voice lowered and his eyes started to look a little wet. “Every time I come home, I keep thinking it’s going to be different. I’m sorry. I know you don’t like me like that. I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” There was a distinct wobble to Stiles’ voice that had him looping his arm around his slim waist. “Don’t apologize. You’re not making me uncomfortable. I...I didn’t know Stiles.”   
  
The head on his shoulder turned toward his face. “What?” At the genuine confusion in the younger man’s voice, he couldn’t help leaning a little closer hoping to offer comfort. “I didn’t know that you felt that way. I’ve wanted to be with you for a long time too. I just thought you were still too young.” With that he got a slightly high pitched grumble. “Mmm not too young. I’m in college.” The beer bottle made an abrupt reappearance as Stiles held it in the air. “I can drink.” He snorted slightly in amusement. “Actually, no, you can’t. You’re still not legal.” That had the other man pausing for a moment with a frown. “Oh. Still, not a kid anymore.” The pout on Stiles’ lips didn’t help to sell the argument. Even so, he smiled warmly at the declaration. “I know.”   
  
A moment later his humor fell away when he remembered another major roadblock. He looked down then not able to stomach the thought of Stiles’ rejection. “It’s just...what about Lydia?” The mumbled response he got sounded unconcerned. “What about her?” Despite the easy tone of the other man’s voice, his nerves flared up until he felt completely unsettled. “I know about your five year plan. I thought...aren’t you in love with Lydia?” Although the younger man didn’t hesitate in responding those few quiet seconds were torture. “No, I haven’t been for a looonnng time. It uh...wasn’t like what I expected. When we went out it just felt wrong. I built her up to be something else.”   
  
Almost as if reading his mind, Stiles seamlessly addressed his sudden doubts. “It’s not like that with you, Derek. I know who you are. I know you.” A clumsy hand flew back to hit him in the chest. The touch was searching as though the other man was trying to make a connection. Without thought, he reached out to wrap his hand around the lax hand. “In case you’re worried. I’m not in love with Malia either. We had something special. I don’t regret being with her but I knew it probably wouldn’t last. I was the first person she’d ever connected with after the accident. She had a lot to learn. I knew we’d probably grown apart.”   
  
That wasn’t what happened but he spared Stiles the pain of the reminder. What he did instead was address the younger man’s assumptions. “You couldn’t know that. If you had mated, it would have been for life.” The thought was daunting. Even now, it caused his stomach to twist up in knots. Unlike his own concern, the look on Stiles’ face could only be called serene. “It never would have happened. She wasn’t ready.” Instead of arguing the point he remained silent. As was often the case, the other man filled the silence before it could drag on too long. “I’ll always love them Derek but I haven’t been in love with for a long time.” There was a short pause then as Stiles’ hand gripped his gently. “I haven’t been in love with anyone for a long time except for you.”   
  
The silence that fell between them didn’t feel heavy. Unlike the words he whispered in response. “I love you too, Stiles.” When the other man responded by chuckling lightly he was somewhat confused. “I can’t believe this. I’ve wanted to hear you say that for such a long time. The first time you do, I’m drunk. I don’t even know if I’ll remember this conversation tomorrow.” With that all humor fled, Stiles’ expression turning somber. He leaned close enough for his lips to glance over the younger man’s cheek as he spoke. “Don’t worry. I’ll remind you.” And just like that, a smile blossomed on Stiles’ face that was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. “You promise?” When he spoke next, his words weren’t merely words they were a vow. “I promise.”   
  
The sheer delight on Stiles’ face prompted him to continue if only to keep that look in place. “I want to kiss you. I’m not going to though not until tomorrow. Not until I can be sure you’ll remember it.” That had the other man chuckling softly. “I think that might be a good idea.” With a soft chuckle of his own, he readjusted their position until Stiles was resting back against his chest and his arms were wrapped securely around his ribs. Almost the moment they settled, Stiles dozed off with his face buried in his neck. Now that the other man wasn’t drawing his attention, he looked up only to see Scott gazing in their direction. At first he froze, not knowing what to expect.   
  
They locked gazes long enough for Scott to smile gently before once again looking toward his girlfriend. It had something uncoiling in his chest. Although most would think it was an Alpha thing he knew better. What it was in actuality was a best friend thing. If Scott didn’t approve that could have caused all sorts of problems. Now all he had to worry about was the Sheriff. The thought had a grimace pulling at his face. For the moment, he pushed the thought away and focused on the feeling of holding Stiles. They couldn’t broach the subject until they were back in Beacon Hills. There was no point in stressing or torturing himself in the meantime. Over the years he’d developed a rapport with the Sheriff, hopefully that would be enough to win his favor. Another hour or so had the pack retreating to their hotel rooms.   
  
The next day most of them slept in, taking their time before dealing with their massive hangovers. He hadn’t been so lucky. As soon as they’d gotten back, doubt had inevitably set in. What if Stiles didn’t remember? What if he felt different sober? It didn’t seem likely but he had a pretty bad track record. The conversation they had never should have happened last night. He should have put it off, told the other man they’d speak in the morning. Done anything really expect encourage the flow of words. What if Stiles was going to be mad at him? What if Stiles felt like he’d taken advantage? As soon as the sun was up he’d gone for a run. He couldn’t sleep and all of his thoughts were driving him crazy. The thought of expending some energy sounded like a good idea.   
  
By the time he got back to the hotel, he knew that he’d over done it. That really said something considering he was a werewolf. The muscles in his legs felt like wet noodles, he was dripping with sweat and his clothes were absolutely soaked. He looked like he’d been running for his life, not out for a causal run. Maybe in a way he was. Needless to say, he got quite a few looks as he made his way through the lobby to an elevator. The rest of the trip to his room was thankfully short. When he entered to find it empty that was another bright spot. He didn’t dwell on just why Peter’s bed was still made. Despite his weakened state, the first thing he did was crawl into the shower. It was probably the most exhausting shower of his life but it was worth it when he stumbled back into the bedroom clean.   
  
The bed was seriously calling his name, so he got close enough to flop down on his back. It was in that exact moment that a knock sounded on his door. With a groan, he looked to the clock. The numbers indicated it was 7:26am in harsh red numbers. It was still too early for whatever this was. Although it practically killed him to move, he managed to get to his feet and make his way to the door. It came open only for someone to collide with his chest. He blinked rapidly until he could see Stiles’ face clearly. The visual was the only thing that had him realizing his nose had already known who was plastered to his chest.   
  
Apparently realizing he’d caught up to the moment, his visitor smiled widely before speaking in a hushed voice. “I remember.” That was the only warning he got. In the next second Stiles’ lips had slotted against his in a passionate kiss. Without thought, he responded to the kiss with equal passion and released the door to wrap his arms tightly around Stiles’ waist. When the door slowly slid shut, concealing them from the outside world, neither of them noticed.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
When he walked onto the now familiar sand, it was hard to believe it had already been a little over a year since he’d last been here. In that time, a lot had changed. The majority of the pack had finished school or were well on their way to finishing. All of their younger pack members were now also in college. There were plans being made about where people would live and sometimes with who. On the pack front, they'd made connections with other packs all over the world. Although some of the interactions hadn't been great, for the most part the pack had made solid alliances. The knowledge they'd gained about werewolf history and latent abilities had been astounding. It made him wonder sometimes just how much wisdom his parent's had never had the chance to pass down.   
  
Out of everything though, the biggest change was that they’d finally stopped Monroe. The entire network had been brought down. There was no one left to spread the hatred that Gerard had started. This included Monroe as well. When they’d been able to finally pin her down, Peter had arrived on the scene first. He’d claimed self defense. The room they were in had only contained a single gun. It had wolfsbane laced bullets but his Uncle had easily survived worse. Not to mention the fact that the gun was several feet away from Monroe’s decimated body. Although Scott as well as Sheriff Stilinski hadn’t looked happy, no one tried to refute his claim.   
  
With the hunters gone, things had quieted down dramatically. They were now just doing damage control and offering aide to any werewolves in need. When the hand in his suddenly tightened, it had him amending his thoughts. Taking out Monroe hadn’t been the biggest change, at least not when it came to him personally. Looking to his right, he sent Stiles a small warm smile. They were together now. They had been ever since that first kiss after Stiles’ drunken confession. What they were was amazing. It was better than he ever could have imagined. Although his boyfriend didn’t know it yet, as soon as Stiles was done with school, he was going to propose. The more human convention would coincide with a mating if Stiles accepted.   
  
As the days wore on, he doubted less and less that he’d be rejected. Truthfully, the majority of his lingering fear was simply whether or not he could make the other man happy. It was Stiles’ father, as well as Scott surprisingly, who continued to help assuage his doubts. Apparently he was doing a decent job of it so far. The hand in his gave it a little tug. “What are you thinking about?” He only shrugged. Trying to answer the question seemed fairly convoluted as his thoughts were all over the place. Not to mention, at least part of what he was thinking about had to be kept a secret for now. The non answer had Stiles narrowing his eyes a little before it was brushed aside without further exploration.   
  
When the other man asked his next question it was far easier to answer. “Where do you want to sit?” In lieu of speaking, he pointed to the ideal spot. It had Stiles frowning a little. “Why do you always sit so far away from everyone?” Not missing a beat, he put down a towel large enough for both of them. “It has a good vantage point.” Immediate understanding settled on his boyfriend’s face. “Ah.” That was all he said, moving to grab the large umbrella they’d brought. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Stiles struggling with it. That was the only reason he didn’t get smacked in the face when it flew open. The abrupt motion had the other man dropping it with his arms going akimbo. A quick dodge had him avoiding Stiles’ arm as well. “Woah. Did you see that?”   
  
When his boyfriend looked at him in surprise, his eyes wide and his mouth gaping slightly he couldn’t help smiling. “Leave it. I’ll get it in a minute.” A slightly frustrated look settled on Stiles’ face even as his hands lifted to scratch the back of his neck. “Yeah, that might be a good idea. That things got a mind of its own.” Without further comment, the younger man settled on the towel and grabbed a large beach bag. At the same time, he approached the temperamental umbrella. As he worked the umbrella’s latches into place, his gaze stayed on Stiles rummaging through the large bag. What he was seeing reminded him a little of Mary Poppins.   
  
The first thing his boyfriend retrieved were two water bottles, that was followed up with several books, a bottle of sunscreen, a pair of sunglasses, a small container full of cut-up vegetables, a watch and two tangerines. Apparently long gone were the days of his lone towel. He’d just managed to secure the umbrella near Stiles’ location on the towel when he spoke up with amusement. “What are you going to pull out of there next, a rotisserie chicken?” The question earned him a look that said he wasn’t funny. All he did was smile wider. That had his boyfriend releasing a little huff of breath. “Just for that, you don’t get a tangerine.”   
  
He moved to sit down close to the other man’s side. When he spoke next, he tried to sound mildly pathetic. “But I love tangerines.” The glance sent his way was slightly narrowed. It didn’t ease up even when Stiles responded. “I know.” In the moment of silence that followed, his companion retrieved two more tangerines from the bag. “That’s why I brought more.” He gave his boyfriend a delighted smile, happily taking the tangerine held in his direction. Even as he started to peel the fruit, he leaned over to give Stiles a quick kiss on the cheek. “You’re the best.” The squinted gaze was gone now but the younger man grumbled in a playfully irritated tone. “Don’t you forget it.”   
  
Once he had the tangerine peeled, he pried it in half with his fingers. A slice quickly found its way into his mouth as he looked toward his boyfriend. In Stiles’ hand was also a peeled tangerine but he was currently peeling away the white veins in the fruit. He watched him for a few minutes before asking the question on his mind. "Why did you pack us food? We always have stuff in the cooler.” It wasn’t that he was complaining. The appearance of said snacks just made him curious. He was cast a brief upward glance before Stiles’ gaze refocused on his task. “I wanted to make sure you had something you liked. I’ve packed stuff for you on other trips that never make it out of the car.”   
  
That had him pausing with surprise. “You’ve packed stuff specifically for me in the past?” For a beat, he thought that the other man might be embarrassed or try to deny what he’d said. Surprisingly his companion responded as though it was no big deal. “Yeah. I used to do it all the time.” When he didn’t say anything Stiles looked up. A moment later, his boyfriend smiled widely and returned to meticulously stripping the tangerine. “Don’t let it inflate your ego. I do that for everyone.” That wasn’t a lie. He could tell and yet it didn’t seem like the whole truth. Deciding to push the issue a little further, the space between them decreased slightly as he leaned closer. “So you’re saying that you never, not even one time, went out of your way for me specifically?”   
  
There was a slight hesitation that was telling. This time when Stiles responded he got the mild embarrassment he’d expected earlier. “I didn’t say that.” The words had his wolf purring in his chest. It signaled to his mind and body that he’d chosen his mate well. With a wide smile on his face, he leaned even closer to nuzzle a kiss under his boyfriend’s jaw line. His arm came up a moment later to pull Stiles against his side. When one kiss turned into two, his boyfriend squirmed a little in place. “Derek.” He gave a low soft hum in answer as he started to kiss down his neck. “My Dad is here.” The words accompanied a hand gently pushing into his chest.   
  
With a final quick kiss, he pulled away. Now that he wasn’t preoccupied, his gaze swept over the group trying to locate the Sheriff. What he expected was a look of discomfort, what he got was Sheriff Stilinski completely engaged in a conversation with Parrish. The discovery had him looking to his boyfriend in confusion. Seeing that Stiles looked sheepish wasn’t surprising. “I know. He’s not paying attention to us, not yet. And that’s the key word...yet. I don’t need my Dad to see me in the middle of a make-out session.” The explanation had him giving an easy nod. Not too long ago, he would have been uncomfortable in a similar situation.   
  
There was a new look on the other man’s face now that was hesitant. Immediately knowing the cause, he leaned over to give Stiles one final quick peck on the cheek. It was enough to convey he wasn’t upset. When he was sent a tiny relieved smiled, he knew the message had been received. They both went back to their fruit, lightly talking on idle topics. Once the food was gone, Stiles brandished the sunscreen saying it was time for some UV protection. He put up a token protest but caved easily enough under his boyfriend’s insistence. The fact that Stiles was rubbing his hands over the majority of his body didn’t hurt. When he returned the favor he was a little more thorough seeing as how his boyfriend didn’t have his healing ability.  
  
TBC...


	4. Chapter 4

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They had just finished when Malia came over and started to drag Stiles away for a swim. Even as his boyfriend was being pulled toward the water, he asked him if he wanted to join them. The polite refusal was more for necessity then a desire to not hold Stiles in the ocean. As they’d only just gotten there, he hadn’t really been able to scope out the area. Admittedly, having Stiles so close at the start had been a wonderful distraction. With his boyfriend not so temptingly close now, he should at least be able to check on the rest of the pack. A good distance away, sitting in folding beach chairs were Sheriff Stilinski and Parrish still speaking animatedly.  
  
There were a few inches separating them from Argent and Melissa who were leaning close in conversation. On a towel a few feet in front of the other pack members were two of their youngest. Propped up on his left elbow was Mason. Almost directly underneath him was Corey. There was a towel over Corey’s torso as though Mason was afraid he’d get cold. He had a feeling Mason was responsible simply because Corey looked perfectly comfortable. They both had slightly damp hair and a scattering of water droplets on their skin. The positioning of their bodies would look lurid if their expressions weren’t so innocent.  
  
Almost directly opposite of them were Scott and Kira sharing a towel. They were sitting close, Kira leaning back into Scott’s shoulder with an almost dreamy look on her face. The way Scott was sitting was straight-back to support their weight but his head was tipped down in Kira’s direction. There was a soft smile on Scott’s face that was adoring. The next pack member in his line of sight was Theo. Currently he was sitting at the shore’s edge, talking to Ethan of all people. They seemed to be getting along fairly well. I guess a history of murder helped. Although he could tell that Ethan was paying attention, his gaze often strayed to Jackson who was walking down the beach with Lydia.  
  
Most would think it was jealously. He knew better. The reaction was just a hyper vigilance to protect his mate. It was a fairly common thing in werewolves. If you were an Alpha the feeling could be even stronger. Considering Ethan’s history of loss and that he’d been an Alpha the reaction wasn’t surprising. If there was any jealously there it wasn’t obvious which said a lot. The minute they’d arrived, Lydia had practically plastered herself to Jackson. Although he knew there was no motivation behind it, the fact that Lydia still held a flame for Jackson was fairly obvious. Honestly, he had a feeling it was one of the many reason things hadn’t worked out with Stiles. This was a thought he kept to himself. It was an opinion that would only cause his lover unnecessary pain.  
  
The two werewolves weren’t pack but had been invited as sort of honorary guests. Whenever they’d called on their help, it wasn’t long before the couple was in Beacon Hills. At this point, he had a feeling the only reason that Scott hadn’t extended an offer for them to join was the fact that they lived in London. If things kept going the way they did, he wouldn’t be surprised if that changed in the future. The last three members of the pack present namely Stiles, Malia and Liam seemed to be racing one another in the ocean. If the two werewolves didn’t have physical advantage on their side, he had a feeling Stiles would have wiped the floor with them.  
  
Although he had no proof, the long lean lines of his boyfriend’s body had always seemed perfect for competitive swim. Another upside was that it was hard to trip in water. He was almost grateful to Finstock for benching Stiles as much as he did in such a dangerous sport. The only pack member who wasn’t present at the moment was Peter. When they had first arrived, his Uncle had set-up his secluded oasis as per usual. He’d only been there a short time though before calling the woman he’d met the previous year. Apparently they’d been in touch this whole time and when she’d come calling Peter had quickly made an exit. All that remained was his stuff, left to the pack to make sure it wasn’t stolen.  
  
It was surprising to say the least that this woman hadn’t merely been a one-night stand. He couldn’t remember that ever happening with Peter, not since he woken up from his coma. The brief glance he’d gotten of her hinted that she may be bashful. Considering what he’d just found out, he was starting to wonder just how much she’d gotten under his Uncle’s skin. In the short time before Peter fled, however, he noticed that his Uncle had set-up far away from this location this time. It would almost be insulting if he didn’t know the cause. The relationship between him and Stiles was as he put it disgustingly saccharine sweet. They’d caused their pack mate to lose his appetite more than once, at least according to Peter. Never mind that his Uncle had encouraged the relationship.  
  
That more than anything told him Peter was being a drama queen. Well, either that or he was just using fresh ammunition to drive him crazy. Whatever the reason, he was currently reaping the benefits by enjoying blissful silence. It managed to last about thirty minutes before Stiles returned to lead him into the ocean. As per usual, the water was freezing. The shock to the system was unpleasant, especially since werewolves naturally ran hot. When his boyfriend slotted himself into his arms to warm him up though, it was completely worth it. They swam for some time, roughhousing with their pack mates at random intervals. Eventually when they were left alone, they still splashed one another and tried to dunk each other playfully.  
  
The sky was starting to darken when Stiles suggested they leave the water. There was more on his mind, he could tell but for now he didn’t pester his boyfriend to reveal his secret. They made a quick detour to dry off before Stiles suggested that they go exploring. At first he was concerned about leaving the pack but Stiles promised to make Scott aware they were leaving. Although it still made him a little uneasy, he agreed when the Alpha readily promised to be on his guard. In all honesty, the young werewolf was normally on his guard but he relaxed more when certain pack members were present. This included him. The fact that the Sheriff, Parrish and Argent were all present didn’t hurt either. With more reassurance in place, Stiles took his hand to gently lead him away down the beach.  
  
It was only when they were out of werewolf hearing range that his boyfriend tugged on his hand. When he looked in Stiles’ direction, he was given a bright smile. A moment later, his lover started to softly sing a very familiar song. “ _By the Sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea. You and me, you and me. Oh how happy we’ll be._ ” It was here that Stiles leaned a little closer, a playful bounce to his steps. He smiled widely in reaction to the now treasured song. “I can see that you actually remember the lyrics this time.” The smile on the other man’s face didn’t falter at his teasing. “Hey, in all fairness, I was drunk last time. Remember?”  
  
Valid reason or not, he wasn’t about to let Stiles off that easy. “Excuses, excuses.” What he got for his efforts was an amused snort, followed up with a quick kiss to the lips. As they continued walking, Stiles faced forward again, his voice lowering slightly as he resumed signing. “ _When each wave comes a-rolling in, We will duck or swim, And we'll float and fool around the water._ ” The new lyrics had him paying closer attention, his body feeling relaxed in a way that was steadily becoming more common. “ _Over and under, and then up for air, Pa is rich, Ma is rich, so now what do we care_?” It was here that his boyfriend turned in his direction a second time.  
  
The volume of his voice rose slightly as he built toward a crescendo. “ _I love to be beside your side, beside the sea, Beside the seaside, by the beautiful sea_!” At the end of the song, Stiles raised his free hand up and outward in a somewhat dramatic finish. He chuckled lightly at the display. “Bravo.” The smile he got was pleased and more than a little smug. When his boyfriend turned to face forward again, his arm bumping into side, he continued in a low sincere tone. “You have a beautiful voice.” The compliment was a little embarrassing to voice. He could actually feel the tips of his ears turning pink. That didn’t make it any less true. It was something he wanted Stiles to know.  
  
Unsurprisingly, his boyfriend brushed off the compliment. He’d noticed over the years that Stiles tended to do that. If he had his way, that would soon be a thing of the past. “I don’t know about that but thank you anyway.” Before he could hope to reiterate his words, his boyfriend continued by somewhat redirecting the conversation. “I looked up the song after our last trip here. I didn’t realize it but it was actually in a musical before my cartoon. I’m going to have to check it out one of these days.” Feeling a little curious, he asked a question. “Is that the whole song?” The inquiry produced an easy head shake. “No, there is this verse that mentions specific names.” There was a brief pause in which Stiles looked to him with a smile. “I cut that part since it doesn’t apply to us.”  
  
When he sent the other man an eye roll it was received with a laugh. They fell into a comfortable silence then back dropped by the gentle sound of the nearby waves. At random times, his lover would hum lightly in a distracted way. It reminded him of their first trip to the beach. When he was sitting on his lonely towel, the younger man’s hands sliding over his tender shoulders and his sensitive ears picking up the lyrical melody for the first time. So much had changed since then. He couldn’t believe it sometimes, how different things were now. For the first time in a long time, it felt like he was doing more than simply existing. The feeling was all down to Stiles and he’d never been more grateful.  
  
When they came to an abrupt halt, it was startling in the way that coming out of a daze always was. A gentle tug preceded his boyfriend leading them to an outcropping of rocks. “Come on, we’re here.” Although this was news to him, the gentle prompting had him following without resistance. “I didn’t know we had a destination in mind.” The smile his lover sent him over his shoulder was playful. “That’s why it’s called a surprise.” Anything further he may have said was stalled when the other man came to a stop. They were now in a very small cave. It was tall enough that they could both stand upright with ease and it was wide enough for an additional person to walk at their side.  
  
The cave itself looked like one long aisle, coming to an abrupt stop only a few feet away. With the exception on one large rock at back of the wall, there wasn’t anything of interest. He had no idea why they were here. Looking toward the other man, his eyebrow raised in question. Instead of speaking, Stiles turned to step into his embrace. Despite his confusion, his arms automatically raised to pull his boyfriend into his chest. When Stiles leaned closer as if to kiss him the tilt upward of his chin was automatic. The softly whispered words that fell on his lips were almost a disappointment. He’d been so sure that his boyfriend was about to follow through with a kiss. “I found this place with Scott the last time we were here.”  
  
Even in his distracted state, that brought up a memory of them going off on their own. It was something he hadn’t been happy with at the time. A hand slid down his chest in a light stroke. Just like that his full attention was fixed on Stiles once more. “As soon as we got together, I knew it would be perfect.” The question in his mind of the other man’s meaning evaporated as the hand slipped down to cup his groin. Immediately his eyes fell to half-mast and a little groan slid out of his throat. Almost as soon as the hand settled it started up a massaging motion. This was closely followed by Stiles leaning down to gently kiss along the side of his neck.  
  
In automatic reaction, he bared his throat in a show of absolute trust. When he got a playful bite in response it had him moaning wantonly. The sound of the waves suddenly broke through his haze. It had him looking around the small space in remembrance of where they were. To his right was the entrance leading outside. When they’d arrived, the mouth of the cave had curved slightly. On the rock was also a heavy growth of Creeping Ivy and a weed that bloomed with yellow flowers. At the time, he didn’t think anything of it. Now he realized that it created a sort of barrier. The alcove was still bright with the residual daylight just inches away but the interior of the cave was hidden from curious eyes. Despite this built-in advantage, he couldn’t help feeling hesitant.  
  
Although it was difficult, the words he needed to speak passed his lips. “What are you doing?” An amused snort pushed into the join of his shoulder. “I’d think that was obvious.” He huffed a little in annoyance but couldn’t help thrusting minutely into Stiles’ hand. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. We can’t do this here.” As much as it pained him to say, it had to be voiced. “Why not?” The lips slid over his collarbone, nipping it lightly, which had his breath stuttering. “Someone could see us.” When the lips reached the center of his chest, an agile tongue slipped out to swirl once into the dip between his collarbones. Just as Stiles pulled away he responded in a quiet murmur. “It’s okay. We’re really well hidden. That’s why this place is so perfect.”  
  
As the minutes passed it was getting harder and harder to remember why this was a bad idea. The grip on him tightened slightly, causing him to stiffen enough that he could feel pre-come leaking into his swim trunks. Surprisingly the sensation got him back on track. “When we get back, they’ll know. The pack will be able to tell what we did.” If nothing else would convince Stiles this was a bad idea, future embarrassment would probably be the ticket. “It’s not like they can’t when we’re back home.” Out of seemingly nowhere, his boyfriend paused. The hand on him stilled and the kisses fell away as Stiles stood fully upright. There was a look on his face that was serious and a touch considering. “If you’re really uncomfortable with this we can stop.”  
  
At the care directed his way everything inside of him stopped. Suddenly none of his concerns seemed important. All he wanted was to be with Stiles. He didn’t care where they were or about the risk of discovery. Honestly, if the whole pack stumbled across them so be it. Well, that was the case with one exception. There was one pack member, normally not present, who still caused a little concern. “It’s just...your Dad’s here.” The smile that pulled at his boyfriend’s lips was slightly amused. “So we won’t tell him what we've been doing. No one will either. It won't be any different than being in my bedroom at home.” He groaned in pained exasperation at the comparison. “Don’t remind me. I always feel so guilty afterwards, like I’ve spoiled you for anyone else.”  
  
With that, his response had his lover’s amused smile turning sly. “That’s because you have.” The new groan that emerged couldn’t be helped. When the sound had died, Stiles leaned closer to whisper against his lips. “So, what do you say Derek? Do you want to head back or do you want to put this to good use.” To emphasize just what “this” was his lover’s hand tightened meaningfully around his erection. He was still trying to focus enough to answer when Stiles continued in a low breathy voice. “I’ve been thinking about taking you inside of me all day. I want your knot so bad, Derek. I’m aching for it.”  
  
Without his permission, his hands grasped his lover’s backside abruptly to pull their groins together. It had his boyfriend giving a full bodied shiver that travelled into his chest delightfully. The hand resting on his shoulder trembled a little and the one that had been on his groin settled lightly on his hip. When he finally managed to speak, his voice was just shy of a growl. “I always give you want you want, Stiles. You know that.” As if to remind Stiles of this fact, his hips rolled forward in a rough grind. The hands on his body tightened even as his lover spoke up tremulously. “I know you do, big guy.” Now that the last of his resistance was gone, he didn’t know where to start.  
  
Did his lover want to go right to the main event or did he want more focus on foreplay? Honestly, the little amount that his boyfriend had already implemented was enough to get him ready. Even so, he wasn’t sure what Stiles wanted. Seeing as this was his lover’s plan, the best idea seemed to be to ask. “What do you want?” When the other man chuckled lightly it was warm. “I thought I was pretty clear.” Although he wanted to respond just as playfully, he couldn’t. It was taking everything he had to keep himself under control. All he could think about was yanking down Stiles’ trunks, spinning him around and putting him on his knees.  
  
Trying to be clear about what he meant, his fingers plucked at the waistband of his boyfriend’s only clothing. “No, I mean, do you want or should I...” That wasn’t very clear. Still, it was the best he could do. When his lover immediately understood he was immensely grateful for Stiles’ honed mind-reading abilities. “Oh! No, you um don’t have to do that. I’ve been ready.” Any reaction he might have had was stalled when Stiles prompted him further into the cave. He didn’t understand why until the other man backed himself into the lone rock protruding from the wall. The feeling of his lover’s hands on his hips preceded the material of his swim trunks being pushed down.  
  
It was maneuvered down his legs slowly, his boyfriend being careful to free his swollen member with consideration. As soon as the lightly damp material hit the sand, he stepped out of it enough to kick the bathing suit away. Now that he was naked, the other man moved a little away. The tight grip he had on the slim hips loosened only when Stiles moved to turn in his embrace. Although the top of the rock wasn’t completely flat, there was a somewhat smooth downward slope that came to just past his lover’s waist. It was enough to give Stiles plenty of room to lean over it enticingly. The picture he made was absolutely captivating.  
  
In this position the wide shoulders were slightly raised, the slope of Stiles’ back was gentle and his firm round backside was on full display. His hands landed on the material still covering his lover’s hips. Almost the instant they did, the other man’s right hand covered his to stall his movement. The delay had a disgruntled growl emerging from his chest. It was enough to have Stiles laughing lightly. “Have a little patience, big guy.” Feeling what patience he had left slipping away, he responded in a rough gravelly voice. “If you keep this up, I’m going to give you a spanking.” The threat wasn’t a real one. Even so, it made him better to voice it. “Ohhh, don’t make promises you can’t keep while we’re on limited time.”  
  
Leave it up to his boyfriend to flaunt that it was something he knew they both enjoyed. Immediately he pressed his hips into the tempting backside. The material rubbed against him in a delicious yet annoying friction. In counter, his lover rolled his hips into his thrusts, his back bowing beautifully under the sensation. When his boyfriend spoke next it was in a whine. “Derek.” He went to push down the trunks again only for the hand on his to tighten. The impatient confused words died on his tongue when Stiles continued in a gust of breath. “In my pocket...I brought. I have lube in my pocket.”  
  
TBC...


	5. Chapter 5

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Suddenly all of it made sense. Not wasting a moment of time, he reached quickly into the pocket and pulled out a small tube of lubricant. With it in his grip, both of his hands resettled at his lover’s hips to yank down his swim trunks. They’d only been pushed down to Stiles’ knees when they were abandoned. Instead he focused on opening the tube and squeezing a copious amount onto his fingers. A few quick circles around his lover’s entrance wet the skin before he sunk a finger inside abruptly. It had his boyfriend arching sharply with a deep moan. The muscle around his finger clamped down tightly only to loosen a few seconds later.   
  
As soon as it did, he started up a gentle thrusting. Almost the second he did, Stiles was rocking back in jerky little thrusts. “More Derek. I can take more.” Not needing to be told twice, he withdrew his finger and quickly added a second. The new pressure had Stiles groaning a little, his legs trying to widen further. For a few minutes, he kept up the steady deep thrusting. Whenever he withdrew, his fingers opened to stretch the tight muscle. After an indeterminate amount of time, his lover started to tremble all over. When he looked up it was to see Stiles’ hands sporadically gripping the rock’s edges. “Please...please.” The shaky plea didn’t need further interpretation.   
  
On the next withdrawal, he uncurled a third finger and after squirting fresh lube on all his fingers they were pushed back inside. Immediately his lover tensed up, his head falling back as a shout escaped his lips. Lifting his free hand, he slid it down Stiles’ bowed spine in a soft sweep. “That’s it sweetheart. You’re doing so good. Taking it so perfectly. I can’t wait to be inside of you. Feeling you pushing back on my cock. Hanging off of my knot.” He leaned down to press a light sweet kiss into the back of his boyfriend’s neck. When he pulled back he did so only enough to speak, letting his whispered words breeze against his lover’s skin. “You’re so beautiful. So perfect.” The moan that greeted his praise was just shy of a whimper.   
  
After only another three thrusts, Stiles was pressing back into his hand. Taking it for the sign that it was, he put more strength behind his movements. It had his boyfriend whimpering loudly, the muscles tensing in his legs as he rose up on his toes. Finally the tension broke with a small shout edged with a sob. “Derek, please!” The withdrawal of his hands was immediate. It was so abrupt in fact that Stiles’ hips swayed back in automatic reaction. When the realization set in that he’d been left empty, his lover let loose a sob of mild distress. That had his cock throbbing enough for pre-come to dribble out of the tip. Leaning down quickly, he pressed a somewhat hard reassuring kiss to his boyfriend’s shoulder blade.   
  
With that done, the lube was retrieved once more to quickly slather up his engorged erection. In a quick motion his fist slid over the skin to wet it more thoroughly. With that done, he held the almost empty tube over his lover’s entrance to squeeze it directly over his heated skin. The cold liquid had Stiles jumping slightly before he recovered enough to tip his hips upward. In a careless motion, he tossed the mostly empty tube to the ground before roughly grabbing his lover’s hips. As he moved forward the tip of his erection kissed the stretched entrance to Stiles’ body. He pressed it there lightly for a moment, letting his head tip back as a groan lid out of his throat.   
  
When Stiles tried to press his hips back, he tightened his grip to hold him in place. The restriction had an annoyed huff leaving his boyfriend’s throat but no other complaint was forthcoming. It was the demanding throb of his arousal that eventually had him moving them past the moment. With his left hand, he reached down to guide his erection into his lover’s eager body. The initial press inward was met with some resistance. No matter how many times they did this, Stiles’ muscles always tensed at the initial invasion. All he did was continue to press inward slowly. When the muscles gave way it produced a little gasp from his lover that had his blood racing.   
  
Despite his eagerness, he pressed in slowly to allow Stiles to adjust. The muscles were tight around him, rippling on occasion but always surrendered after a moment. When he eventually bottomed out it was with a little pleasured sigh. As he stayed stationary, the passage he was in tightened and contracted in a silent ploy for movement. Not one to deny his lover anything, he pulled out slowly to the tip before sinking back in just as languidly. The resulting moan from Stiles was heavy with leaden pleasure. It had him wanting to keep up their slow pace. Unfortunately, his hips had a mind of their own and with each passing second his speed increased.   
  
If he hadn’t been so keyed up at the onset he could have dragged it out. As it stood, he was lucky he had any control left at this point. The slick hot tight passage squeezed him in a vice grip. With every thrust inward, his lover’s hips slammed backward with abandon. There was a wet slapping filling the air as he rode Stiles hard. The sound accompanied the moans, groans, whimpers and the shouts the both of them let loose. On an outward thrust he readjusted his stance. It was enough to have his hips slamming home too fast for his lover to keep up. The new pace had Stiles squirming in place and clawing lightly at the unforgiving rock. At the base of his erection he could feel a new tightening sensation.   
  
As he moved it steadily increased until he could feel it expanding outward. There was only a small rounded ridge when Stiles moaned in desperation. Although the movement wouldn’t meet his thrusts, his lover pushed his hips back anyway at the new feeling. With a whimper, he curled forward until he was draped over his boyfriend’s back. The new posture had him covering Stiles completely, as though he could shield his lover from the world. He unclamped his hand from Stiles’ left hip and slid his palm upward under his lover’s chest. When the craggy rock blocked his path, he turned his wrist to slide along what skin he could reach.   
  
The pads of his fingers encountered a peaked nipple. He paused a moment to twist and pinch at the skin harshly. It had his lover’s hips jerking back abruptly, his chest curving into his palm. Instead of tormenting the skin further, however, he moved on until he could curl his hand around a strong shoulder. With the hold he had around Stiles’ torso, the little space left between their bodies vanished. Although it was awkward, his head tipped downward making him essentially curl around his boyfriend’s quivering frame. The posture was as possessive as it was protective. It was as close as he could come to making a claim in the moment.   
  
At the mere thought, he felt a tingling in his gums. When his fangs descended an answering tingle started up in his hands. There was a pull in the muscles of his face that followed. The sensation didn’t hurt but did hedge toward uncomfortable. Although he hadn’t initiated the change, he didn’t need a mirror to know he was in his beta shift. This had happened a few times over the years. When his partner was in the know it happened more frequently. He could let go more fully when he wasn’t hiding. That being said, it still wasn’t common. At least it hadn’t been, until he’d started dating Stiles. It had been happening with more frequency the longer they were together. This was just further proof that Stiles was the right choice for a mate.   
  
Now that his claws were out, he loosened his grip just slightly to prevent any accidental damage. In seemingly direct counter, his hips slammed into his lover with a touch more force. It had a strangled moan sliding out of his boyfriend’s throat as though it was being dragged out. The tightness at the base of his cock increased. As he moved the bulbous knot emerging grew wider. When it started to catch on Stiles’ stretched muscles, he shortened his thrusts until he was barely pulling out at all. In what felt like too soon, the forming knot was almost too big to pull out. It had his lover squeezing it on each withdrawal and fighting its return on each inward thrust.   
  
Underneath his heavy body, Stiles flailed as though trying to get away. The struggle was in direct counter to the way he arched back in ecstasy. This more than anything was what had him reaching his breaking point. There was a part of him that would always enjoy the chase. It didn’t seem to matter that Stiles was already caught. With a rough growl, he pushed his hips forward hard. The now fully formed knot met a moment’s resistance before the muscles gave way with a spasm. A shout echoed off of the walls that had him growling again. The wet heat around his knot was tight, a squeeze being given as those testing its size. He didn’t give any of it much thought. Instead he focused on moving his hips, using what little space he had to grind forward in a smooth roll.   
  
At the movement, his lover shouted again in desperation. When his boyfriend tried to move, all he did was press down harder to keep him in place. The position they were in was perfect. There was no reason Stiles needed to move. Apparently his boyfriend didn’t understand this because a hand tried to move downward. Immediately he caught onto the other man’s intention. With lightening speed, his hand replaced the hand on the rock. It tried to shake off his hold but he simply tightened his grip. When Stiles spoke a moment later his voice was shaky. “Derek, I...I need...” The hand trembled again as though trying to move. He let loose a warning growl.   
  
It had his lover shivering even as the muscles surrounding his cock fluttered. “No.” At his refusal, Stiles whimpered a little. “Please.” Although a part of him wanted to comply, the majority of him was too far gone to allow such a thing. When he spoke again, his voice was harsh. The rasp of his fangs wasn’t the only thing to blame he knew. “No. You wanted my knot. So take it properly. You’ll come this way or not at all.” On the end of his refusal, Stiles cried out in denial. Despite his harsh words, he wouldn’t leave his lover unsatisfied. In a hard yank, he pulled his boyfriend tighter against his hips. It had Stiles crying out as the knot slid in deeper.   
  
With a huff of exertion, he ground forward more aggressively. The new pace had Stiles trembling all over, his legs trying to widen further only to be stalled by his swim trunks. Now with each of his thrusts his boyfriend made a little noise like the air was being punched out of his lungs. As the seconds passed the tension in his lover’s body built until finally it snapped. With a muffled scream, Stiles came hard. The muscles around his knot clamped down viciously. It was so tight in fact he could barely move and he found himself shoving forward against the restriction with a moan. As soon as the tension eased, the muscles contracted brutally milking his over sensitized member.   
  
He moaned again only this one sounded tortured. Unable to help the reaction, his hips fell into a jerky thrusting. The movement didn’t take him far as the two of them were still locked together. It was also probably pulling on his lover’s entrance uncomfortably. Even so, he didn’t seem able to stop and seeing as Stiles was moaning deliriously under him it wasn’t enough to be noticeable. Finally after what felt like an eternity, a hand landed lightly on his gripping his boyfriend’s hip. “Derek.” The voice was soft, encouraging. He pressed closer again, his hips falling back into their previous grinding. “Uh yeah, come on. Come on, Derek. So good.”   
  
As he moved, Stiles hips tipped upward and the hand resting on his tightened. The muscles surrounding his cock weren’t as harsh now. It had him moving with a little more freedom, had him aware of how slick it was inside. He tightened his grip on his lover at the build-up of sensations. Apparently that was enough to get his boyfriend excited. “That’s it. Come on, Derek. I want it. I want it so bad.” With a grunt, he gave another harsh shove. The rolling of his hips had his lover’s trembling increasing with every movement. Finally after what felt like an eternity, he gave one last hard grind inward before every muscle in his body locked up with his orgasm.   
  
In an abrupt motion he threw his head back even as his hips pressed forward harder. It took every ounce of effort he had not to howl. The tension in his jaw to keep it closed was painful to maintain. As he stood there frozen, a gush of come poured out of his aching erection. It hadn’t even slowed when Stiles started to squirm again. The movement was one he now recognized as his lover feeling overfull. He tightened the grip he had on Stiles’ shoulder, effectively holding him in place, silently prompting him to take it all. Although the touch had Stiles moaning, he settled a moment later with his hips raised. It wasn’t until the steady flow was tapering off into short bursts that he became aware of the sweat glistening on every inch of his lover’s skin.   
  
The knowledge had him refocusing on his boyfriend spread out underneath him so invitingly. With a languid nuzzle, he settled his mouth against the back of Stiles’ neck. After placing a few gentle kiss there he opened his mouth enough to lick the sweat off of his skin. The touch was met with a little moan. “Derek.” There was an aroused, slightly hesitant quality to his name. It told him that Stiles wasn’t ready for more. Honestly, that was alright. He wasn’t even done yet. The last few pulses of his come were being squeezed out and his knot wasn’t likely to go down for at least a half an hour. That didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy this closeness with his lover.   
  
In an effort to show the touches lacked intent, he gentled his handhold while his lips continued to sample the other man’s sweet sweat. Eventually he moved his hand at his lover’s hip, sweeping it softly down his side wherever he could reach. When the last dribble of his come escaped, he gave a final two grinds inward that had Stiles moaning. Now that he was done it seemed like a good idea to move. He gently kissed his boyfriend’s ear before speaking into softly. “I’m going to move us.” The groan he got wasn’t encouraging but he ignored it anyway. With gentle hands, he maneuvered them until they were both standing upright.   
  
As soon as they stopped moving, his boyfriend turned his head to look in his direction. He returned the look, simply waiting. A moment later his lover smiled before leaning closer. When he realized Stiles’ intention he leaned closer as well to meet him in the kiss. As they kissed softly, a hand settled on the underside of his jaw. The touch was soft as a feather. It also had him tightening his grip around Stiles’ waist. When the kiss eventually came to a slow ending, he was given a soft stroke to his jaw line. The smile that lighted Stiles’ face was adoring. “You’re amazing. I love you so much.” Feeling a boundless joy thundering through his chest, he leaned closer to press his nose to the hinge of his lover’s jaw. “I love you too.”   
  
He didn’t say how lucky he felt to have Stiles or how he’d never been happier. This wasn’t the first time they’d shared those particular words. Even before they’d been said he’d told Stiles the rest. As time went on, he’d tell the other man again. That was one of the good things about losing so much. It made him never forget to not take what he had for granted. With a final kiss to his lover’s neck, he gently maneuvered them until they were sitting on the ground. The minute he’d settled his boyfriend in his lap, Stiles had let out a little breathy sound and shifted around a little against his groin. All of the movement had his eyes falling closed with a moan. Although he had nothing left to give, his knot throbbed heavily in reaction.   
  
With a clearing of his throat, he addressed the movement. He had tried to sound normal but failed miserably. “Is um anyy...thing wrong?” Another shift backward had him quickly gripping Stiles’ hips. “No, sorry. Just...trying to get comfortable.” A little squeeze against his knot had him harshly biting his tongue. “Did you...did you want to lie down?” That was normally what they did went they knotted. They’d lie side by side. He’d opted for this position today though hoping to avoid the sand. If Stiles didn’t stop moving though, they’d have no choice. At this rate, he was going to harden right back up. It didn’t happen often but it had happened in the past. “No, I’m okay now.”   
  
Despite the assurance he could hear in the words, he pressed the issue gently. “Are you sure?” The hand he now had resting lightly on his lover’s stomach was traced with exploring fingertips. “Yeah, I’m sure.” They both seemed to relax at that point, lost in their own thoughts. Out of nowhere, Stiles spoke up again in a voice tinged with wonder. “I feel so full. I always do when you knot me. Can you feel the difference?” As though he was trying to answer the question, his hand clamped down on his boyfriend’s stomach. He blew out a harsh breath. “You can’t say things like that when we’re still knotted. I’m going to get hard again if you’re not careful.”   
  
When his lover responded he didn’t sound concerned in the slightest. “That would be a real tragedy.” Normally he’d agree. When they were at his loft and they weren’t so vulnerable. If they were attacked, the knot would go down. It was an instinctual defense mechanism. That being said, being discovered alone might not be enough. “Do you really want to have the pack come looking for us?” The question had Stiles grimacing. “Okay, you have a point.” With a nod, he leaned back into the rock wall at his back. It wasn’t exactly comfortable but he’d survived worse. The back of Stiles’ head settled against his shoulder a moment later. Although the position had his lover’s stomach pushing out a little and his back slightly arched he looked comfortable enough.  
  
TBC...


	6. Chapter 6

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When the fingers resumed their gentle tracing, he tried not to think of his boyfriend’s earlier inquiry. Instead he focused on the gentle sliding touches. Eventually they started speaking again on idle things as they waited. In the end, it took the knot roughly forty-five minutes to go down. It was longer than normal but not the longest it had ever taken. The first time they’d tied, he’d been locked inside Stiles for close to an hour and a half until he could pull free. Considering how long it should have taken he’d been embarrassed. He’d heard of a longer tie during a mating but not during the early stages of a relationship. When Stiles had been nothing except pleased it had eased any insecurity he’d felt.   
  
From that point on, he hadn’t worried about how long it would take. They both enjoyed it, so it didn’t really matter. As soon as they were able to separate, it was decided that they’d take a quick dip in the ocean to clean up. He peaked outside of the cave to make sure the coast was clear. When he was sure that no one was around, they both made a mad dash for the water. Although he could have easily beaten Stiles there, he used a normal speed in case someone came within range. Truthfully, his nakedness wasn’t the issue. He was a werewolf. It was fairly common to be naked in front of pack members. That being said, his boyfriend was rather body shy. There was a fair amount of insecurity in his lover and he had no desire to see that stirred up.   
  
As soon as they were safety in the water, both of them quickly scrubbed down their skin. He’d just pulled on his swim trunks when Stiles swam closer. The gentle motion forward ended with his lover wrapping his arms around his neck. When he was sent a playful smile, he smiled back in response. A moment later a gentle kiss followed that had him humming softly in delight. It was only when Stiles started to pull away that his eyes came open. “Today has been a great day.” He nodded in easy agreement. “Will you make me a promise?” At the request he let a little of his confusion show. “I can try.” What his lover said next sounded wistful. “Will you promise to try to make every day a great day from here on out?”   
  
At first he didn’t know what to say. It seemed like such a daunting task. Even as he floundered, Stiles looked down a little sheepishly. “Just ignore me. I know you can’t promise something like that.” Suddenly a steely determination settled into his bones. With a gentle touch, he tipped his boyfriend’s chin upward until their eyes could meet. When he spoke next, his voice resonated with conviction. “You’re right, I can’t. What I can do is promise to try.”   
  
The smile that came to Stiles’ lips was shaky, his eyes taking on the sheen of unshed tears. It looked like his lover wanted to say something. Instead of speaking though Stiles leaned in to give him a tender kiss. They stayed like that until the sun started to set, turning the ocean’s waves to swaths of molten gold. The dip in temperature was what eventually had them leaving the water. It was then they made their way back to their pack, leaning against one another’s side and walking hand in hand in the darkening night.  
  
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What had started out as an on occasion sort of thing had turned into a tradition. At least once a year, they came to the beach. It had just sort of happened. There were other pack activities they did annually but this was the one they never missed. To this day, it was something that Stiles was smug about. The passing years had brought about a lot of changes. For one thing, the pack was five times the size it originally was. With the threat of Monroe gone, the Omega’s that had been on the run were able to settle. Considering their pack had led the fight, they got a lot of lone wolves seeking a pack. Being the guy that he was, Scott didn’t turn anyone away after a thorough vetting process by Stiles.   
  
When this was put into place, Stiles had been surprised until Scott had explained his reasoning. Against Stiles’ gut feeling, Scott had trusted Theo and it had been a huge mistake. It was a defining moment for them. Finally, years after the incident, Scott had apologized for everything. He pointed out his short-sightedness, his blind faith in someone who was essentially a stranger, his lack of faith in believing that Stiles would kill anyone in cold blood and his lack of a proper apology when they hashed things out on the ride to Mexico. As much as Stiles stilled loved Scott, he knew that there had been some lingering bad blood between them, at least on Stiles’ part. A trust had been broken that Stiles was struggling to rebuild.   
  
With that conversation it was like a huge weight had been lifted off Stiles’ shoulders. It had been gratifying to see some of the tension leave his lover that had found a permanent home. As time marched on he’d seen more of the Stiles’ he’d known years ago. Whereas before there had been a deepening sorrow, now there was a joy there that had sadly been absent as the divide had stretched between the two friends. With each passing day it had gotten better until Stiles was clearly Scott’s right hand. In truth, it had always been that way with the exception of their brief falling out. It was just that most of the pack was too young at the time to really see the significance.   
  
Whereas Stiles was Scott’s right hand, Liam was clearly his left. The first of Scott’s betas had a lot of responsibility placed on his shoulders. It had helped him to really grow and to be able to get a firmer handle on his anger issues. What he also had going for him is that he’d been sort of adopted by the two older pack members. They both treated him like a little brother; Stiles especially had a soft spot for the beta. He didn’t doubt for a second that the patience and acceptance showered on him had made a world of difference. Truly the younger man had needed it unlike his far more independent best friend Mason. The clever young man was just as excitable as ever, soaking up any knowledge he could get his hands on like a sponge.   
  
It reminded him far too much of Stiles sometimes and he worried the two of them might just take over the world. As it stood, they had far too much fun doing research together. Surprisingly or not, depending on who you asked, Mason was still with Corey. There were some people that expected a break-up when they’d gone off to college. He hadn’t been one of them. After the Ghost Riders way station incident, the love they’d had for one another had been clear. Although he hadn’t been there to witness it, Stiles had told him the state in which they’d found Corey. It was nightmare inducing. The way Mason had handled it had been commendable when it was obvious that all he wanted to do was fall apart. After something like that, how could they not last?   
  
They’d only just graduated High School when Mason proposed. When he’d gotten an immediate teary-eyed yes, he’d never seen Mason look happier. As of right now, the two of them were still engaged but it was a purposeful delay. They decided to wait to become officially married until they finished college. It was more a financial decision than anything else. In all the ways that mattered they were already married. The continued closeness hadn’t bothered Liam in the slightest. There may have been an eye roll or exaggerated huff of breath on occasion but it was apparent he was happy for his two friends. Almost immediately the three of them became as thick as thieves.   
  
It was only recently that Liam had started to branch away a little, his attention focused on a new Omega girl from Massachusetts. They had hit it off from the moment their eyes met. Now they were seriously dating. He had a feeling given a little time, the Three Musketeers would be adding a fourth. What had been surprising, to everyone actually, was who Parrish was dating. Against all odds, he’d started to pursue Theo. At first none of them had really understood it. The morality of the two men didn’t line up at all. Over the years Theo had mellowed out. Whatever had happened to him when he’d been banished must have been horrific. It was something Theo never spoke about but he’d been different since his return.   
  
That being said he’d still reminded him far too much of Peter when he’d first gotten back. He kept expecting Theo to try something given enough time. The suspicion was one he knew he shared with a few pack members. There was an edge to Theo’s personality that never seemed to go away. Unless it was absolutely necessary, the pack didn’t kill anyone. Yet when fighting Theo still seemed to crave the follow through death would bring. When he started up with Parrish it had been a shock. There were some members of the pack who still didn’t understand it. He was no longer one of them. Although it had taken some time, now he believed that he understood.   
  
Just like his Uncle, there was something in Theo that was broken. What he needed was someone solid with a strong moral compass. When he needed to be vulnerable, he could let down his guard. On the other hand, when he took things too far, he needed someone to pull him back. That could be found in Jordan. He was a sweet, gentle man with the hard capable edges of a soldier. In a lot of way he reminded him of Stiles’ father Noah. What the Sheriff lacked in patience though Parrish had in spades. Over time he’d come to see that Parrish was the safe harbor to Theo’s tempest. They balanced each other out in a way that was healthy for Theo.   
  
Considering the changes he could already see in Theo’s temperament, he hoped they lasted a long time if not settling into something permanent. If the soft affectionate look on Jordan’s face whenever he looked at Theo was anything to go by there was a good chance of that. One of the people who still didn’t understand it was Lydia. Although her interest in Parrish was fleeting, she’d always said he was a wonderful guy. It didn’t make sense to her how someone so sweet could end up with Theo. That was actually part of the reason she’d lost interest in Parrish. According to her, the deputy had seemed too sweet. As much as he’d been a nice distraction, she tended to get bored of guys who weren’t a touch arrogant.   
  
Even she admitted that she had a hard time keeping “good” guys. It was the primary reason she’d swung between brief trysts and short term relationships the last few years. The relationship she’d had with Jackson hadn’t been healthy. On an intellectual level, she knew that. It didn’t stop her from wanting something similar. So for now, she’d been determined to focus on her degree. The goal was for her to get a Doctorate in mathematics. He couldn’t say the actual field of study. Although he’d heard it before the exact title was hard to remember. All he knew was that she was working toward some sort of reward. When it came up around Stiles, he’d remind him what Lydia was studying.   
  
Regardless it never quite stuck. It was just easier to say Math when someone asked. That normally got him an eye roll from Lydia but he pretended not to notice. Unlike Lydia’s extensive studies, Malia had gotten out of school as quickly as possible. The rigidity of its schedule had always grated on her nerves. As soon as she’d enrolled in school, she’d taken every accelerated program she could get her hands on. For awhile there they barely saw her since she was always studying. In the end, it did pay off. With her degree in tow, Malia had fled the education system and had settled into a career as a Conservationist. It allowed her to be useful, to not only the territory but to the wildlife that she loved so much.   
  
At the moment she was single and not looking to be anything else. The stance was a healthy one. There hadn’t been much time for Malia to get acclimated after her world was turned upside down. A little self discovery wasn’t a bad thing, at least according to Stiles. He took his word for it. Normally his version of internal inflection led to brooding. At least Malia didn’t seem to have the same problem. Apparently like father, like daughter. Even at his lowest points, Peter tended toward anger instead of self-pity. It wasn’t really any healthier. Unlike his brooding, the anger also didn’t win his Uncle any fans. That didn’t matter to Peter though as it was pretty much his default setting. A setting which thankfully hadn’t been utilized all that much lately.   
  
The woman that his Uncle had met, on this very beach, all those years ago was now part of their pack. They had been talking since their first meeting but hadn’t really gotten serious until the next time they saw each other in person. After about a year of dating, Peter wanted to tell her the truth. For the first time since the fire, he’d seen the other werewolf look genuinely scared. It really hit home then just how much his Uncle cared for this woman he’d yet to meet. He hadn’t known what to say. This wasn’t a problem he’d faced with any real success. They knew revealing the truth meant bringing up everything as well. It was during this conversation that he’d found out that Peter hadn’t even slept with her yet. That had bowled him over.   
  
As soon as he knew what sex was, he’d been informed that his Uncle wasn’t the type to wait. The information wasn’t wanted but his Uncle liked to embarrass him by talking about his conquests. To know that Peter had waited, that Vivian had told him that she was waiting for marriage and that his Uncle had actually been okay with that was mindboggling. When he’d questioned it Peter had tried to play it off. In the end though he’d revealed it had turned out to be beneficial. The more wrapped up he got in this woman, the less confidant he was that he’d be able to control his shift during intimacy. As they both floundered it was Stiles who’d gently stepped in with a suggestion. It had been sound.   
  
When Peter showed up a few weeks later with Vivian in tow he’d looked nervous. They’d all been introduced, had a pleasant dinner and then had settled down in the living room to talk. As was the plan, Stiles started things off by gently easing them into the topic. At first their guest had asked if they were joking. Even as she asked though there was something in her demeanor that hinted at verification. It reminded him painfully of Paige. In her interaction with Peter she’d known that something was different. He could only hope that things wouldn’t turn out as tragically. When Peter eventually shifted in front of her, the look on his face was surprising. It was hesitant, shy and a touch shameful. Never once had he seen his Uncle look ashamed of their heritage.   
  
A part of him bristled in defense only to deflate a second later when he remembered he’d worn the same look in the past. There was a part of him that wanted to howl mournfully. After all of these years, he finally understood. He understood what seeing that look on his face must have done to his family. When Vivian only smiled softly before gently touching Peter’s face, his heart stuttered painfully in his chest with relief. The acceptance all of them had hoped for was freely given. What should have been the hard part was over but all of them knew better. Now they’d need to get into Peter’s past deeds. As one would expect, the conversation that followed wasn’t easy.   
  
It was delivered as gently as Stiles could manage. Where it applied, Stiles made sure to emphasize that Peter wasn’t in his right mind. Still a lot of it was done with his Uncle fully aware of what he was doing. There were also some pack laws that excused what Peter had done. When his family was still whole, his Uncle was appointed as an enforcer once he’d reached adulthood. The decision was an easy one as Peter had always been strong, fast and cunning. To put him in another position wouldn’t have made any sense. There was also a bit of blood lust in Peter, his wolf always a little closer to surface than most that was happy to fulfill such an essential role.   
  
It was something that was hard for most humans to understand. All of this had given the tenderhearted woman pause. When she’d told Peter that she needed some time to think none of them were surprised. Despite the uncertainty of their future, Peter had been given a gentle kiss in farewell. The next month was torture for the entire pack. In order to give Vivian space, they’d stopped speaking altogether. This often left Peter in wide arching unpredictable moods. Eventually the majority of the pack just tried to give the werewolf a wide berth. When the phone call did finally come, all of them held their breath at what it could mean.   
  
The minute that Peter came back into the room, he knew that everything was going to work out. They spoke in private about everything later. Although Vivian was willing to stay with Peter, it was with the understanding that things had to be better. If he was defending his pack that was one thing but she couldn’t accept unmitigated violence. That was easy enough for Peter to agree to as he’d already calmed quite a bit over the years. He was hopeful that his Uncle was being sincere. It was shortly after they’d settled things that Vivian met the rest of the pack. In no time at all, she fit right in. Now the two of them were married and had their first baby on the way. The pregnancy was so far along in fact, that Peter hadn’t even wanted them to come on the trip.   
  
In the end though, Vivian managed to convince him otherwise. She hadn’t wanted to miss the annual pack event. This concession meant that Peter dotted on her to an almost extreme degree. It would be cute; the way Peter catered to her every whim if it wasn’t Peter. As it stood, his Aunt did look lovely sitting on a reclining beach chair. The bathing suit she wore was a maternity one-piece with a little shirt. It unerringly drew the eye to the roundness of her belly and at seven months just emphasized her beauty. The light brown hair that normally fell to her upper back was pulled back into a French braid. It was styled courtesy of one of the ladies, he wasn’t sure which one. As the pregnancy progressed, the pack overall had doted on Vivian with open affection. He wasn’t surprised.   
  
When Kira had become pregnant the previous year it had been the same. After a few years in college, Scott had proposed to his long-time girlfriend. From what Stiles told him, at first Scott had wanted to wait until he’d finished school. It was realizing how long it would take, however, that had Scott changing his mind. The proposal had gotten an enthusiastic yes and they’d been married shortly after. Although the timing for a kid hadn’t seemed great, they’d both agreed to starting a family mainly due to Stiles. All of his thoughts scattered when someone sat down at his side. He looked to his right only to connect gazes with Stiles’ father.   
  
A hand landed on his shoulder in a gentle grip. “How are you doing, Son?” The question had him nodding easily. When Noah smiled it told him the message he was fine had been received. Despite the added years, the Sheriff didn’t look much different. If anything he looked more relaxed. Then again they all did. The hand gave him a squeeze before falling away as Noah settled. “We picked a good day for this trip.” Even as the other man spoke, Noah tipped his head skyward. Looking around at the gathered group, he couldn’t help agreeing with that assessment. The sweep of his gaze had his eyes landing on Chris and Melissa sitting close together. They were laughing about something that Chris was saying. It was strange to see them now and to know that Melissa was an Argent.   
  
As the marriage was still fairly new that oddness might wear off given a little time. Needless to say, Scott was still adjusting to this as Allison had been his first love. The relationship wasn’t an issue, it never had been, what was throwing him off was the change in name. As they spoke Kira came to stop by them, holding her tiny son on her hip. When the toddler squealed in delight, Melissa automatically reached up to take their grandson. Although he didn’t listen in, he had a feeling that Kira had interrupted because Katsumi had wanted some attention. They spoke for a few more minutes before Kira went off to rejoin Scott. Immediately both of the proud grandparents gave the little boy their full attention. It had him thinking on something that drew his attention back to Noah’s profile.  
  
TBC...


	7. Chapter 7

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“How are things going with Rachel?” The question had the other man smiling crookedly. When he saw the expression it always left him feeling warm. It was a smile younger Stilinski had clearly gotten from his father. “It’s going well.” That was all he said, so he didn’t push. The relationship was still in its beginning stages. After all of these years, Noah hadn’t found anyone to settle down with. It was something that worried Stiles more than he’d normally admit. He knew that Stiles was afraid that his Dad would die alone. Instead of trying to give his lover false hope, all he did was offer comfort and assure Stiles that would never happen. If the day ever came that Noah couldn’t be independent, they’d simply have him move in with them. Honestly, he’d prefer it to be that way even now.  
  
Although there was virtually zero privacy in a pack house the feeling of family outweighed any of the negatives. One day he hoped that Scott would reestablish a house. He was fairly confident it would happen at some point. The topic had been brought up in pack meetings more than once. “You boys don’t have to worry about me.” At the words, he was pulled out of his thoughts. “What?” Trying to play innocent wasn’t working if the side-eye he was getting was any indication. “I know that both of you worry about me. I’m doing okay.” There were words of denial forming on his lips when Noah continued. “My son hasn’t lived with me for a few years now and he still stops by the house with pre-made dinners. I also seem to remember that you took care of cleaning out my gutters last month.”  
  
His mouth snapped shut at the evidence. It had Noah chuckling a little. “It’s okay. I don’t mind. You know I love having you over.” That was true. He’d never doubted that. Whenever they’d stopped by, planned or otherwise, Noah had welcomed them in with open arms. There was a moment of silence then that seemed weighted. “I still miss her. Even after all these years...I just." The words fell away with a head shake. When Noah’s gaze landed on Stiles, he continued in a soft voice. “I think you get it.” In that moment, he felt gutted because he did. The thought of losing Stiles was unbearable. It was worse than anything he could imagine.  
  
Without taking his gaze off of Noah, he reached out to grip his shoulder in comfort. The touch had the other man looking his way with a warm smile. A hand lifted to pat his hand lightly. “We’re going to be okay. I’m sure of it, so don’t you worry.” With a final squeeze, he withdrew but kept his focus on Noah. “I really like Rachel. I can see it going somewhere. And she just adores all of you. The dinner we had last week was perfect.” He smiled warmly at the good news. “I’m glad to hear it. The feeling is mutual. I think Stiles talked about meeting her for a solid two hours after we got home that night.” They both looked up when Scott approached.  
  
“Hey guys.” The greeting had him nodding even as Noah gave a verbal greeting. With that, Scott’s focus landed on the older man. “Sheriff, I was wondering if you’d be okay with manning the grill. I don’t know what you do but your hamburgers are always the best.” At the compliment, Noah chuckled lightly. Even as he responded, he climbed to his feet. “I’d be happy to Scott. As long as you make sure Stiles lets me eat at least two.” The wide grin on the Alpha’s face was playful. “You’ve got yourself a deal.” It was here that Noah looked in his direction. “I’ve got a good thing going here, Derek. Don’t be a narc.”  
  
He grinned crookedly, his eyebrow ticked up slightly. “I make no promises. If Stiles asks me a direct question, you’re on your own.” That had both of them chuckling softly. When Noah continued it was in a playful tone. “Traitor.” All he did was look unrepentant. The reaction had both of them smiling as they moved off to the grill. Now that he was left alone once more, his gaze did a sweep of the large gathering of people. In a far off corner he caught sight of Jackson and Ethan who were now officially a part of the pack. It had a taken a long time for either of them to want to move back to Beacon Hills. When the day did come, they’d asked to join up officially. Although Stiles grumbled about it, the two had been welcomed in easily.  
  
A few feet away, speaking with Liam was Isaac. The other werewolf was just visiting. On his arm was a pretty, blonde haired waif of a girl who he’d been seriously dating for some time. He had no plans to come back but had agreed to visit on occasion. It was good to see him again. They’d mended fences for the most part and he had a new stronger relationship with his beta. Not too far away from their location was Malia who was in an animated discussion with Cora. The conflagration with Monroe had started to really heat up before Cora returned. When she heard what was going on, she didn’t feel right not standing with them in the fight. It was hard for her to come back. There were days even after they’d won that he expected Cora to leave.  
  
In the end, he had a feeling that Stiles was the only reason she’d stayed. Truthfully, most of the good things in his life to date were because of Stiles. The thought had his gaze sliding to the man in question. It was hard to believe sometimes that so much could have changed in a handful of years. He knew that it was possible, that your whole world could fall apart with frightening immediacy. Even knowing that, it was hard to believe sometimes that he was so content. For far too long the Hales seemed to be cursed. If they were then surely Stiles had broken it somehow. That was the only way to explain such sweeping changes, how being with him seemed to turn it all around.  
  
When Stiles had agreed to be his mate, for the two of them to get married, it had been the happiest day of his life. They had a small intimate ceremony out in the Preserve. For their honeymoon, he’d whisked him away to Hawaii for a much needed break. To ensure Stiles wouldn’t be concerned about his father in their absence, he surprised his new father-in-law with a trip to Oregon. The camping trip had allowed Noah and Parrish to get in some time away from the station. It had also ensured that they’d be far enough away from Beacon Hills that his new mate could relax. When they returned home, Stiles had moved into the loft. When his mate had to go back to school, he followed or stayed in Beacon Hills as needed.  
  
They ended up renting an apartment in DC while Stiles got his degree. The training for the FBI was intense but only took a few months to complete. As soon as Stiles was completely done with school, he’d taken a job in the closest FBI field office he could find. It left his husband with a commute that he could live with. Actually moving closer was something Stiles never wanted to seriously consider. They’d settled into their life, falling into comfortable patterns and seemingly drifting along in a river of contentment. It wasn’t until they’d found the orphan that things had changed. During a raid on a hunter stronghold, the pack had come across a small child. The girl couldn’t have been more than three years old.  
  
Immediately he could tell that she was a werewolf. What had been just as obvious was that her parents were dead. As awful as it was, he knew the signs. The child had been handed off to another trusted pack in the area. They’d only had her a few hours but it had triggered something in Stiles regardless. That very night while lying in bed, he’d asked his lover what was on his mind. It turned out the answer was children. What had been a seemingly simple question had spawned a week long conversation. The options available to them, supernatural or otherwise, were discussed in length. In the end, they decided on surrogacy. That in itself caused some problems.  
  
They needed to find someone in the know and it had to be someone they trusted. It seemed an impossible task. At least it had, until Kira showed up with Scott to offer a solution. She was willing to be their surrogate. The timing seemed terrible. After all, both of them were still in school but it was something they wanted to do. When Stiles had questioned Scott about it later, concerned he really wasn’t okay with it, Scott had assured Stiles that he was completely on board. They were brothers. This was something Stiles desperately wanted, so of course he’d do what he could to make that happen. When they hugged both of them withdrew a little teary-eyed. He hadn’t mentioned it, just simply held out his hand to Scott in thanks.  
  
It was decided early on that biologically the baby would be his. The decision was something he opposed initially. There was so much beauty in his mate. He loved the thought of that being passed onto their child. In the end though, his husband won out when he voiced his fears about his mother’s hereditary disease being passed down. During the preparation for the pregnancy, Deaton had casually mentioned a spell that might be of interest. Apparently this spell would allow Kira to carry their baby and for her to carry another of different parentage. The knowledge had all of them reeling for awhile. It quickly took root only to imbed itself in all of their minds.  
  
Instead of their child growing up alone, it could have a sibling in the Yukimura’s child. This thought was tempting for Kira and Scott who eventually wanted to start a family. What really sold it for Kira though was something else entirely. At the mention of the possibility, both Stiles and Scott had broken out in twin joyful smiles. That more than anything had her deciding on carrying two infants. It was during Kira’s pregnancy that Stiles told him that he wanted the bite. The confession had shocked him into silence. When it was clear he wasn’t going to recover anytime soon his mate had explained. They had different life spans. A few years apart wasn’t going to make much of a difference in the long run. If they were going to start building a family, it would be better to turn him now before too much time passed.  
  
Although it made sense, a part of him had been terrified. The last person he’d loved had died from the bite. What if Stiles died too? How could he hope to survive that? He couldn’t. He wouldn’t know how, not even with a newborn to protect. It had taken some time but eventually Stiles had convinced him to agree. Despite all of his worries, his mate had taken the bite surprisingly well. On February 15th their good friend Kira had gone into labor. As much as both he and Scott wanted to be in the room, they’d been banned fairly early on. The pull of their instincts was too strong to ignore. The pain Kira was in was putting Scott on edge. That combined with both of them going into protective Alpha parent mode hadn’t helped. They’d been booted out with assurances from Stiles that he’d look after Kira.  
  
It had taken a total of twelve hours before the sharp shrill cry of a newborn greeted the pack. Roughly ten minutes later, another cry followed the first. They were led into the room soon after to discover that Kira had given birth to a total of two healthy boys. He didn’t even need to scent the babies to know which one was his son. There was just something in him that knew. That didn’t stop him from immediately nosing at the baby as soon as it was in his arms. When Stiles came to a stop at his side, his voice was quiet as he asked for confirmation this baby was their son. He’d simply nodded, feeling his chest swell with pride. The verification had his mate reaching out to grip the baby’s tiny fist in his hand.  
  
As soon as he could drag his eyes away from his family, he’d looked up to see Scott having the same problem. When he couldn’t catch Scott’s attention, his gaze moved to an exhausted looking Kira. Unlike her husband she’d looked in his direction. He’d mouthed a silent thank you which had her smiling brilliantly. With that, he refocused on his son. There would be time to continue to sing her praises later. The baby went back to Kira long enough to be fed. It was decided they would camp out in the spare room until a feeding arrangement could be sorted out. Eventually what they settled on were frequent trips to the Yukimura’s home and bottles sent home with them for the midnight feeding Kira couldn’t be around for.  
  
It had worked surprisingly well, was still working better than they expected. In thinking on all of his good fortune, as it often did his gaze settled on Stiles. Currently his mate was standing ankle deep in the ocean; their son was standing directly in front of him on shaky legs. The curve of his husband’s posture looked painful but was necessary too for Stiles to keep his grip on their son’s tiny hands. They named their son Thomas. It meant ‘Twin’ according to Stiles and was associated with skepticism. When they’d been looking for baby names, his mate had wanted something that held some significance. At first, Stiles had suggested naming him or her after one of their parents.  
  
In the end they decided against it because the thought of even saying the name was painful. So his husband had delved into researching baby names. What he had insisted on was that their son took the name Stilinski. The child couldn’t belong to Stiles biologically but he could take his name. Now that Peter was expecting a son, his initial instincts only felt more justified. With this new baby on the way, both of their family names wouldn’t die out. All of his thoughts fell away as his son bounced on his feet. The bright gaze was looking down as he moved, a sort of cooing gurgle slipping from his lips. Suddenly missing his family, he climbed to his feet to make his way over to them.  
  
A familiar tune vibrated in his throat warmly as he picked his way through the pack. When he got close enough to walk on wet sand, Stiles looked up with a wide smile. The glance had Thomas looking in his direction curiously. As soon as he saw who it was, a wide almost completely toothless smile was his greeting. When he reached them he placed a quick kiss on Stiles’ cheek before kneeling down to their son’s level. With the upmost gentleness, he cradled the back of his son’s skull and gave him a nuzzling kiss to the top of his head. “Hello there, tiny pup. Are you having fun playing with Daddy?” In response his son babbled happily, a tiny shriek ending the excited response. “I can see you are.”  
  
He placed another kiss on his son’s forehead before looking up at Stiles with amusement. “When we need to leave, he’s not going to like it. I have a feeling we’re going to have a fight on our hands.” The smile on his mate’s lips showed the amusement was shared. “Why do you think I’m trying to wear him out?” He snorted before returning his gaze to their son. In the short time they were speaking Thomas had started to wiggle his hips in a familiar dance. All he did was watch fondly, letting his thumb stroke over the toddler’s neck. As he looked at their son it struck him again how much he looked like a Hale. The soft hair on his head was a dark black, his skin was almost ivory pale, they had the same vibrant green eyes and as young as he was their son had inherited his eyebrows.  
  
When Stiles was being overly dramatic, he’d question the fate of the world with two Stilinski men with eyebrows of doom. That little tirade normally ended with him tackling his lover and tickling him with what Stiles had dubbed eyebrow accompaniment. His mate really was ridiculous about ninety percent of the time. It probably said something about his sanity that he loved that about the other man. Feeling playful, he let a little rumbling purr build in his chest. It had Thomas looking in his direction with a gurgle. A split second later, his son’s eyes flashed beta gold. In immediate response, he let his eyes flash blue. The next second the toddler looked up to flash his eyes at his other father. With a sweet smile, Stiles flashed his gold eyes in return.  
  
This little interaction ended with Thomas smiling widely and starting to stomp his feet in the water. It went everywhere with their son’s enthusiasm, falling just shy of actually catching him in the face. “Where is he? Where is my little snuggle bug?” At the random question, he looked over his left shoulder to see Cora approaching. The questions had also caught their son’s attention too and he jumped again at seeing his Aunt. This was why Cora had stayed. As much as he knew she loved him, it was the chance to start over as a family that kept her close. When she came to a stop on the opposite side of where he was kneeling, Thomas immediately focused all of his attention in her direction. “There he is! Have you been hiding on me hug-a-bug?”  
  
The look on her face was open and playful which had the little boy babbling. “Yeah, I didn’t think so. I know you love your Auntie Cora tadpole. It’s your Daddy who has been hiding you away, huh?” He chuckled slightly at the accusation. “Hey!” The token protest from Stiles sounded amused. In a move that was impressively smooth, Cora plucked Thomas up and tucked him securely into her chest. With a playful growl, she pretended to gnaw at his tiny shoulder. It had him laughing hard enough to shake all over. All of that happened while Cora was on the move, swiftly carrying their son further into the throng of the pack. With a disgruntled frown on his face, Stiles stood upright completely and called out in a loud voice. “Hey! That’s my baby!”  
  
The answering response contained a fair amount of laughter. “Not right now, he’s not.” Instead of saying anything else or pursuing the runaway werewolf, his mate simply pouted. Finally he looked toward him, pointing in the direction Cora had fled. “Is she allowed to do that?” He shrugged in a truly unhelpful way. “Not sure. My Uncle gets away with a lot.” That had Stiles grimacing. “Don’t remind me.” With a gentle smile, he reached out to ensnare his lover’s hand in a gentle grip. The touch had Stiles looking in his direction. “Come on.” As soon as he started to walk away from the shoreline, his husband followed without comment.  
  
When they came to a stop a few minutes later, it was in front of the large still unlit bonfire. All around its center were logs meant for lounging. They’d started to set it up fairly regularly the larger the pack grew. When he found a good spot, he sat down and tugged his lover’s hand to prompt him to follow. They sat down with Stiles’ back to his chest, one of his arms loosely wrapped about the other man’s waist. As soon as they both settled, why he’d chosen this spot was no doubt obvious. From where they were sitting, they had a direct line of sight on their son. After their escape Cora had found Katsumi and both boys were sitting face to face playing in the sand.  
  
Sitting close behind Katsumi was Scott. One of his hands hovered at his son’s back while his free hand helped to maneuver the sand into a shape of some kind. “I love that our son and Scott’s son are already best friends.” That could change they both knew. Right now part of it was proximity but Stiles refused to believe it would ever be any different. He hoped he was right. Instead of voicing as much, he simply hummed in agreement. The positioning of their bodies changed slightly when Stiles slumped further into his hold. When his mate’s head came to rest on his shoulder, he tightened his grip to pull him that much closer. There was another subtle shift which had Stiles’ face turning in his direction.  
  
He responded in kind by turning his face toward his mate, his hand rubbing gently over his lover’s stomach. When Stiles spoke again a moment later his voice was soft. “Derek, thank you for keeping your promise.” The words had him smiling wanly even as a swell of emotion rose in his chest. Lifting a hand, he tilted his husband’s chin up until their gazes could meet. “It’s not hard to do when you make it so easy. I’ll do my best to keep that promise for the rest of our lives.” When Stiles sent him a shaky smile, tears gathering to makes his eyes shine, all he could do was lean down to give him a sweet kiss. The moment ended with them withdrawing with clear reluctance.  
  
He slid his hand over Stiles’ cheek before letting the touch fall away for his husband to resettle. In the next moment his gaze once again landed on their son. Feeling a smile pull at his lips, he reached down to take Stiles’ hand. When their fingers twined together, the soft song he’d been humming earlier slid past his lips. The fingers tightened around his own with his lover’s recognition. As soon as he started singing the second verse, his mate joined in using the same low volume. It had the smile on his face widening enough to feel joyous.  
  
They reached the end of the song together just moments later, their voices in perfect harmony. He mused how it truly had become a reflection of their lives together. With that thought still ringing in his mind, the captured hand in his grip was lifted to be bestowed a sweet lingering kiss. When he replaced the hand he knew that it had conveyed everything he hoped to express. For the first time, in too many years to count, he was happy. That was something that Stiles was responsible for too. It’s okay though he wasn’t complaining.  
  
The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Additional Note: The cartoon that Stiles references does exist. It's a Disney short found in one of their sing-a-long VHS releases. I was able to find, a not so great, video of it on YouTube. It can be found [Here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq3kxtDJxR0) if anyone is interested. As with Teen Wolf, I own nothing and am making no profit. This is purely for fun.
> 
> Also, for anyone who might be wondering, I chose the name Thomas for the Stilinski's son as a nod to 'The Maze Runner'. I've recently become a fan, not long after starting Teen Wolf actually and couldn't resist putting in a little shout out. I ended up loving the series (both the books and the movies respectively) with only a few minor grievances. I'm currently participating in [Tomuary](https://writingsbychlo.tumblr.com/post/188685514513/the-whole-month-of-january-its-now-tom-uary-im) run by Chloe on Tumblr, so expect some fic in that fandom as well relatively soon. ;D


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